


Tell me it's Love (the reason why I'm here tonight)

by danny_the_coolest



Series: Written In The Stars [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, i love my baby, literally no one reads the story but im posting it out of pure love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 83,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23978182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danny_the_coolest/pseuds/danny_the_coolest
Summary: Bigger threats are coming, Mel has spent the majority of her summer studying and memorizing the lessons her uncle told her to review, but now there's a new danger ahead: Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban, and he wants to murder Harry Potter.–Title based in the song 'Meteor Showers' by Andy Kong.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Written In The Stars [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696750
Comments: 79
Kudos: 54





	1. A Quiet Summer.

**Author's Note:**

> I should plan ahead the titles of each part cause I spent way too much time trying to find one that felt good enough.  
> Also I happened to have a little extra time this week so I finally am able to post! Enjoy c:  
> P.S. I tried something different here and I added a few lyrics of the song here and there just cause I thought it was sweet :) -Danny

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" She turned her head to see the boy, laying beside her. 

"I don't know," He looked at her as well, eyebrows up in surprise.

"I want to be an explorer," The girl smiled, "I could send postcards to my mother and uncles, learn about the wizards around the world, the magical creatures..."

> **_And I swear you never looked so good_ **  
>  **_Better than anyone should_ **

"Sounds brilliant," His eyes wandered to the ceiling. He smiled, "make sure to send postcards to me as well."

"Oh," Mel blushed, "I thought- I thought you'd like to go with me?"

"Oh," Harry turned back to her, taken by surprise, "I-"

"It's alright," She sat up, hiding her face so he couldn't see her embarrassment, "forget what I said, it was silly-"

"No-" Harry straightened up in the bed as well, shifting so now his back was against the wall, "W-We could take Hedwig- it'd be easier to send letters and all..."

She stayed silent long enough to make sure he wasn't joking.

"I...I could take my camera?" Mel offered timidly, "I hope I know how to use it by then, cause these few weeks have been a total disaster..."

"You've had it for two weeks only, you'll learn," the boy said, "you could ask Colin once we're back at school about the potion to make them move"

"I could pay for his services with a whole stack of pictures I took of you during my birthday, you looked lovely with all that cake on your face-"

"Shut up," He laughed.

> **_Tell me it's love that I'm feelin_ **  
>  **_If it's not than im afraid_ **  
>  **_My heart cannot take much more_ **

"Are you two doing your homework?" Her mother asked loudly from downstairs.

Mel and Harry shared a look.

"Almost done!" Mel yelled back, holding her laughter.

She passed him a set of books and he laid them on the bed. Mel pulled out parchment, ink and two quills from her drawer, ready to work.

"My parents had the same plans– about traveling," She continued while he searched for the chapter they were supposed to be reading, "they'd thousands of plans, all set after the war -ending the war was first- their friends were supposed to join them too... friends from school, I think, but..." She shrugged.

"Has Emily ever talked to you about them?" Harry asked in curiosity, "About her friends? She must've been the same age as my parents"

"Never said much," Mel sighed, "I didn't want to insist, she barely talks about my dad so... I don't mean to sound ungrateful-"

"You're not," He assured her.

"Thanks," She smiled lightly, "I just... we could've had all that, Glasses. The adventures, the big families... I try not to think about it a lot, but sometimes is hard."

"What happened to them?" Harry inquired, "Did they..?"

"She's never told me. I think they died, but even if they didn't it, it's almost like they don't exist anymore. Either way, my uncle still lives and we love him dearly."

Harry nodded, though he seemed worried about something. Thirty minutes passed without them talking before he dared to speak again.

"Do you think that'll happen to us? What happen to your mum and her friends..."

"That we'll have to pretend we're dead?" Mel grinned, "Sounds rather unlikely..." 

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No," She answered with certainty, "We're different, you and I. So are Ron and Hermione- I believe we'll be fine, although it could feel a bit difficult at some point when we grow up."

"You're odd, Mellow"

"Oh, get out of here," She grinned, throwing a pillow at his face.

> **_If I survive another night_ **  
>  **_Tomorrow I'll lie here again with you_ **

The schoolwork on the bed was long forgotten as Harry and Mel started a pillow fight. Mel knocked the ink on accident just as her mother entered the room to check on them and went mad, reminding them they should be doing homework.

Summer was going by fast, she'd tons of interesting books to study for her extra lessons with Dumbledore -everyone was happy for her, even her mum- and the letters she was receiving from her friends were always long and constant, it was the busiest summer she'd ever had. 

Between her study sessions and the letters, she had a new hobby: Her mother had given her a camera for her thirteenth birthday, it was easy to use but she was having trouble with the lens and lighting, pictures kept coming out wrong, no matter how much effort she'd put into them. She had a shoebox with a bunch of pictures of her mother and Harry from that summer, they were her most valuable possession.

Talking about the devil, Harry _technically_ wasn't allowed to be in Mel's house. He'd been punished after Ron tried to call to his house and Mr. Dursley answered only to go deaf after Ron screamed through it. But _technically_ , as long as they didn't go anywhere near his room, it was as if he hadn't left the house. How he'd managed to climb out of his window without getting injured, it was a mystery. How he was going to climb back, only he knew. It was fun to see his rebellious side, though.

It was also easier to ignore her feelings when he wasn't being all heroic and solemn. Not like he tried to be like that all the time, but there was something about being at school solving mysteries and being famous that just made him look like a knight in shining armor (she wasn't going to admit that to Hermione.) Back home he was just Harry, the small boy that lived next door since they were babies. Well, not so small nowadays, Harry had caught up with her during late June and now they were the same height. That didn't amuse her.

They were slowly growing up, and getting older also meant accepting changes- which meant she had very little time before having to come into terms with the fact that her feelings were evolving despite all her attempts.

She was still a kid, though. So it was safe to say she could keep pretending for at least two more years.

* * *

_'...nothing's changed, not really. We had a strange year and all- but we did fine I think._

_Harry's fine- I'm fine, we're still friends. I must admit, I was afraid we'd stop being friends once in school, it didn't happen. I'm glad, he's still my best friend...'_

Her hand lingered above the paper, thinking of her next words.

_'I do have more friends now, so don't worry! It's just that Harry... he's different, you know, he's been my friend the longest... I think I like him. I mean, of course, I like him. I mean- I have feelings-'_

She huffed, tearing the paper and throwing it into the bin. 

Every time. Every. Single. Time. 

Why? It was embarrassing! Why did she keep trying to tell her uncle about her feelings for Harry?

He wouldn't know how to help her, he was an adult! Worse yet, he was a _man_. He didn't know what to do when a girl has her first crush.

Her alarm clock went off at that moment, startling her. 

_Harry's birthday!_

She jumped out of the bed and rushed over to the window, she'd planned to throw rocks at it to wake him up and be the first to wish him a happy birthday when she found him already standing there.

> **_You're staring up_ **  
>  **_I can't take my eyes off you_ **

She opened her window with a swift movement and leaned on the frame, smiling.

"What're you doing?" They asked at the same time. She laughed.

"I was finishing my essay on the witch-burning in the fourteenth century-" He started to explain, but stopped at the sound of her laughter.

"You sound so scholar when you say the whole title," She grinned. "You shouldn't do your homework so late at night, might worsen your eyes..."

"I would've finished yesterday if you hadn't suggested to try and bake cookies while Emily was away," Harry said pointedly. "Why're you up?"

"I was finishing a letter for my uncle," She explained, "and waiting till midnight."

"Why?"

> **_Cause I realize the reason why I'm here tonight_ **  
>  **_And what I breathe for_ **

"You know why," Mel smiled.

The girl disappeared for a brief second so she could look for the present. When she found it, she approached the window holding the box.

"Ready to catch?" She whispered, leaning further on the edge.

"Is it heavy?" Harry had half his body out of the window, preparing himself for the challenge.

"Not much. One, two... three!"

She launched the package and Harry caught it safely in his arms, hugging it tightly against his chest as he got back in.

"Should I open it?"

"Please do," She encouraged him.

Harry ripped the box open and let out a laugh, looking at her.

"You're improving," He pulled out a wool emerald green hat, "it's neater than the first..."

"I also made a scarf like last time- I practiced something different there," She said eagerly.

Harry rummaged through the box and took out the scarf. He put it around his neck and then put on the hat, a childish smile on his face.

"How do I look?"

"Like it's winter," She giggled, "Happy birthday, Glasses."

"Happy birthday," He beamed, then realized what he'd said and added, "I-I mean, thanks"

She had to muffle her laughter so her mum wouldn't wake up.

"Distracted as always... turn the scarf around, you didn't see the details!"

Harry took off the scarf and examined it, it was magically fixed so the little ornamentation -little lions that Mel had done on her own- would change its colors. She didn't know exactly what did it had to happen for the lions to change- if it was depending on his mood or the weather- she'd just used the magic wool thinking it'd be clever.

"Wow..." Harry breathed, "you're working hard to outdo my presents, huh?"

"You're welcome," She replied simply, closing her window and going back to bed.

She squirmed in the mattress and covered her face with the pillow to hide the embarrassing noises she was making. Harry had loved her present, he even said she was improving. 

> **_I knew it was love I was feeling..._ **

She fell asleep with the biggest of smiles.


	2. Unexpected Mishaps.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Her mother didn't react right away, Mel had to call her three times more until Emily gave a start. She cleared her throat, there was something in the way she kept throwing nervous glances at the door that made her feel terribly uneasy.'

Mel was having breakfast when Sirius Black appeared on the telly. She didn't pay attention at first, at least until her mother abruptly stopped half-way to the laundry room, dropping the basket with her eyes fixed on the screen.

" _No_ ," She breathed.

"What?" Mel asked with her mouth full.

Her mother didn't react right away, Mel had to call her three times more until Emily gave a start. She cleared her throat, there was something in the way she kept throwing nervous glances at the door that made her feel terribly uneasy. 

"I... don't worry, I just- I have to send a letter to your uncle."

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, hesitant. "You look pale..."

"I'm okay, love. Why don't you go and ask Harry if he'll be joining us for lunch?"

"He will, it's his birthday," Mel frowned, realizing that her mother wasn't well. "But I'll ask anyway... I'll be quick."

* * *

"I can't," Harry said miserably, "Aunt Marge is visiting."

Mel knew that woman very well, she was another of Harry's big nightmares brought to life, with more dogs than it should be allowed and a tempter that made hers look like nothing.

"Oh, _Fiddlesticks_ ," She groaned. "When?"

"Today."

"Today?! But it's your birthday! We were going to watch movies-"

"It'll have to wait," He shook his head, "I made a deal with my uncle- if I behave and don't act like- well, like me- He'll sign my permission to go to Hogsmeade."

"That's... something," Mel sighed, "For how long?"

"A week," He supported one arm on the fence.

"Alright. A week's long, but you can do it."

"Are you going to meet Ron and Hermione at Diagon Alley?"

"Would love to, but only if you come as well?"

"Unlikely," He said with an apologetic smile, "you shouldn't stay behind because I can't join you, though."

"I'll see them for a whole school year, I can survive two more weeks without their lovely faces. Being loyal in these times of need is far more important," She replied dramatically. 

"It's just for a day, I'll be fine," He grinned.

Mrs. Dursley called Harry's name, demanding his presence in the living room.

"See you," He said, turning around and walking into the house through the back door.

"Good luck!"

* * *

"Two _weeks!?_ " 

"Your uncle needs our help-" Her mother was explaining to her, it had been two days after her chat with Harry.

"Moving out, I heard you," She interrupted, "is he finally coming to live with us, then?"

"Not quite," Emily's smile widened, "but it'll do both of you good. He misses you dearly, two weeks aren't enough to catch up with his favorite niece-"

"His _only_ niece."

"It'll be fun, Mel."

"But Harry-"

"Harry-" Started her mother, raising a brow, "is going to be fine. You two need to distance yourselves, perhaps just to remind you that you're not glued by the waist."

"I know that!" Mel replied blushing.

"Good," Her mother seemed satisfied, "then it's done, we'll leave in a week. It's almost time for dinner, go to your room and fold your clothes, please."

* * *

"The bad news don't end, Glasses," She lamented, leaning on the window sill.

"You're leaving after this week, at least," He replied from his own window.

"Mum says it'll do us good, to spend some time apart, isn't that silly?" She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe she's right," Harry shrugged, a teasing smile threatening to give him away, "that way you may stop acting like a mum-"

"First of all, that's rude," She huffed, "Why is it such a crime to care about my best friend?"

"I'm not a baby, Mellow." Harry pointed out. "I'm fine, you can leave."

"Whatever," She frowned, "don't blame me if something happens while I'm away and I can't help you"

"I'll keep it in mind..."

* * *

Mel had come into terms with the fact that she was leaving Privet Drive to help her uncle move out, she accepted that her mother was right, she did miss him and besides, his house was very lovely, she'd missed all the high trees she used to climb there, they were one in a million.

However, her thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Dursley's loud and terrified screams.

"MARGE! NOOOOOOO!" 

She dropped her spoon, looking up to her mother. Emily got up immediately.

"Mum?"

"Wait here," Her mother replied, going to the Dursleys' household without adding a word.

Mel didn't listen. She abandoned her dinner and rushed out the door as well, getting to the house in time to see Harry, holding his trunk with one hand and pointing his wand towards his uncle's face with the other.

_"COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"_

Mel peered towards their kitchen, she wasn't sure, but it looked like someone was... _floating._ Right above the dining table.

"She deserved it," Harry growled. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me."

"Harry?" Emily asked, standing a few feet behind him.

The boy ignored her, walking past and accidentally hitting Mel's shoulder on the process.

"I'm going," Harry said, barely glancing at the girl. "I've had enough."


	3. Mel and Matthew.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'He was really close to her face –Or was it her the one getting closer? She couldn't tell, she'd even forgotten what she wanted to say. His eyes were so close, Mel liked his eyes, they were green, not boring brown like hers; Harry was so pretty, so... him.'

"Go for him," Her mother told her, "I'll fix the rest, but bring him back!"

Mel obliged without paying attention to Mr. Dursley's screams.

"Harry!" She ran down the street, chasing the figure ahead of her. "Stop! You can stay with us while–!"

"I won't go back to them!"

She came into a halt, panting.

"You're leaving for real?"

It was Harry's time to stop and turn to look at her. His eyes drifted to some point in the distance and he sat right there, in the middle of Magnolia St. He was breathing heavily, still pretty mad, and she approached with caution.

"You promised-"

"I _know_ ," He snapped.

"It doesn't look like it," She frowned.

Mel sat next to him, knowing it would be better to wait until Harry calmed down. It was getting late, and soon enough the street would be freezing cold and abandoned, she had to take him home. She watched him quietly as Harry's face changed from anger to worry until his features settled on the worst: Determination.

He was looking at his wand, his free hand slowly moving towards his trunk.

"I know what you're thinking," Mel said. "It's not a good idea."

"You don't know what I'm thinking," He replied defensively, though he'd blushed, "it's the only option I have-"

"That's not true!" She replied in exasperation, "Running away? My house is right there! My mum and I could keep you safe!"

She reached for the hand that was holding the wand and held it tightly, pleading that he'd listen to her, trying to ignore the shivers that ran up her spine by their contact.

"Please," Mel insisted, "come back..."

"I want to stay... but..." 

He was _really_ close to her face –Or was it her the one getting closer? She couldn't tell, she'd even forgotten what she wanted to say. His eyes were so close, Mel liked his eyes, they were green, not boring brown like hers; Harry was so pretty, so... _him_.

A noise similar to branches being stepped on distracted her from her daydream, Harry must have heard it too, since he'd stiffened in his place. 

The noise came back, louder this time. Both kids stood up and look at the same narrow and dark corner, Harry had his wand ready.

" _Lumos!_ " He whispered.

Mel gasped, taken aback by the sudden sight of a large, black dog standing there just... staring.

Harry stepped back in surprise, tripping on his trunk and falling backward, his wand flew out of his hand. It all happened too fast, one moment she was looking at the dog and the other a loud explosion made close her eyes as she tried to cover her body from... whatever that was.

When she looked up, she found herself standing a few feet away from a large, purple bus. A boy, a few years older than them, walked out of it and started speaking in a monotone voice.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve —" 

He stopped, his eyes fixed on Harry's figure still on the ground.

"What were you doin' down there?" He asked.

"Fell over," said Harry.

" 'Choo fall over for?" Stan frowned.

"I didn't do it on purpose," Harry said defensively. 

Mel got closer and helped him stand up, noticing the scratches on his hand and knee. As soon as he was back up, Harry turned to look at the corner where the dog had been, but there was nothing.

" 'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"There was a big black thing," said Harry frowning. "Like a dog... but massive..." 

"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.

Mel realized he'd been staring at Harry's scar, much like every other person ever.

"Nothing," Harry moved his hair so it'd fall further down his forehead, it wasn't really discrete, but Stan seemed dumb enough to not notice.

"Woss your name?" The boy insisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry. "So — so this bus- did you say it goes anywhere?"

"Yep," He said proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere, you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

 _"What?"_ Mel's eyes widened.

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice." 

"Hold on a moment," She spoke, dragging Harry to the side, "let me try to talk some sense into my friend here..."

Stan didn't look happy about it, but he didn't argue.

" _Are-you-out-of-your-mind?!"_ She whispered angrily, "London?!"

"I can go to Diagon Alley and get money," Harry explained quickly, "then I'll leave-"

"Don't be stupid!" She exclaimed. "Go where?! You're a child, Glasses!"

"Anywhere's better than here," The boy said stubbornly, opening his trunk and grabbing his money, shoving a few coins in Stan's hand. "Listen, tell Emily not to worry. I'll stay in the leaky cauldron tonight and then... then I'll see."

"You're so bloody dumb," Mel said in exasperation, running both hands through her hair, "you know I can't let you go!"

"Out of us, I've nothing to lose now- I can do magic, you can't" He raised a brow. "You can't stop me."

"I..." Harry and Stan took his trunk inside the bus without waiting for her response, " _Ugh!_ You're not even listening!"

"I won't let them take my wand," Harry argued, "and I don't see the point in waiting to get expelled."

Mel was so upset that she was speechless, she couldn't believe Harry was escaping.

"Well," She breathed, "well- I see... you're not staying and now you're threatening to use magic against me. Alright, go to the leaky cauldron you thoughtless worm– Ruin your life, I don't care!"

"Fine!" Harry said roughly. "Good luck in Hogwarts!"

"Sodd off!" She yelled back, turning away from the bus.

* * *

"Harry _what?!"_

"Left..." Mel repeated slowly and in a terrible mood, "on a massive, purple bus."

"The Knight bus," Her mother put a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes tightly. "Oh, Harry..."

"I told him not to go," Mel was sitting still, her arms crossed and brows knitted together. "Did he care? No! He insisted that he had to run for it- that idiot... Now what?"

"Wait here," Her mother replied, leaving their home and walking up to the house next door.

When Mel'd gone back to their house she'd seen two people that looked a lot like the wizard-kind entering the Dursleys' front door. Soon enough the yelling stopped, they were fixing Aunt Marge's memory for all she knew.

Her mother came back a minutes later, the color returning to her face.

"I told them to look in the leaky cauldron, and the bus can be trusted," She sat next to her daughter, "he'll get there in a few minutes... He's safe, don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Mel scoffed, "in fact, I hope they punish him for being so stupidly impulsive. Leaving just like that, without a care about us? What a twat!"

"You don't really mean that, Mel..."

"I don't," She grabbed a cushion from beside her and hid her face under it, "Why is he such a headache?" 

"See the positive side!" Her mother placed the cushion away from her face. "He won't get expelled!"

Mel peered one eye open.

"How do you know that?"

"I..." The woman hesitated. "Let's just say that some recent events had caught the Minister's attention. I'm certain they'll move the rules around so Harry can stay in school- it's safer."

"You know, everyone complains about me not knowing how to handle my emotions, but that boy is exactly like me, if not worse," Mel continued her rambling. "but that's alright, it's not my problem, I know. Bad for him I suppose, but I'm fine. You're right, I need a break from his annoying face."

She wasn't expecting to hear her mother's laughter, but she sat there, watching as her mum cackled.

"Oh, Mel- I'm so... sorry- I'm not laughing at you..." Her mother said, struggling to breathe, "you sound so much like your father! Poor Matt, always rambling about how our friends kept doing all kinds of stupid things, always threatening to end the friendship because they drove him crazy... you want to know the truth, Love?"

"Yes?" Mel inquired.

"He cared too much about them," The woman smiled. "It drove him mad whenever they risked their stay at Hogwarts. He loved them deeply... you say many unflattering things about Harry right now but I knew your father long enough to see right through it, and all I see is how much you care, and how angry you are because he rejected your help."

There was something about listening to her mother talk about her and her dad like they were the same person that eased her. Even after two years, Mel still wondered if she really was even remotely similar to her father, even if it embarrassed her to know her mother knew how she really felt about Harry, it calmed her spirit.

"I tried," Mel sank in her seat, pouting. "Harry refused, it didn't matter how much I insisted..."

"I believe now you'll be happy to spend the next week in the countryside," Her mother smiled knowingly. "To clear your head?"

"I do love my uncle's house," Mel admitted.

"Okay," Her mother stood up, "nothing left to say. I trust that Harry will be found tonight, they'll bring him back by tomorrow, you'll see..."

* * *

She received a letter from Harry the next day, he was going to stay at the Leaky cauldron for the rest of the summer, which was only three more weeks. He also apologized for the way he acted the night before, and let her know that there was no risk of getting expelled and that the Minister himself had received him.

"I don't understand," Mel said to her mother as both of them got in the car, "why would the Minister do that?"

"Times are difficult. Perhaps it was a coincidence," The woman shrugged.

"Remind me to write back once we're with uncle Lu. I guess he's expecting a reply..."

Emily smirked.

"Are you still mad at him?"

"Not as much," She shrugged, "but I'm not going to forgive him that easily. He was rude and senseless. I guess he understood that what he did was wrong, but I want him to know that he can't treat me like that whenever he pleases."

"I think he knows that already," Her mother chuckled.

* * *

Two days later and half-way through helping her uncle packing up his things, Mel was starting to feel emotional. Ever since she was a baby that house had represented a big part of her life, all the Christmas dinners were done there, the winters were beautiful, the trees were high and easy to climb... She'd spend her afternoons there, listening to the branches moving together, the birds...

The girl was currently hiding up in her favorite tree, near her uncle's house. She'd brought a notebook and a pen with her, taking her time to write a letter when a voice called her back for dinner.

She jumped to the ground falling a bit harshly, her uncle winced.

"Your poor knees, Mel..."

"They're fine," She brushed off the dirt of her jeans, "What's for dinner?"

"Food," He said with a smile, "come to wash your hands."

She followed him back to the house, her mother was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Mum?"

"She's getting more boxes and tape," He replied, "won't take long."

She saw this as an opportunity to talk freely with her uncle.

"I need to talk," She said simply, in a very formal tone.

"By all means, take a seat," Her uncle replied amused by her sudden change of demeanor.

"It's about some... thing. It's been bothering me since my first year at Hogwarts and I'm afraid to tell my mum cause I... I don't want to upset her."

The man raised his eyebrows with a newfound interest, encouraging her to keep going.

"I have this friend..." She started, "and he's nice... He's also older than me... and he's– His name's Erick, and..."

Her uncle cleared his throat, "Are you... crushing? On this boy?"

Mel dropped the notebook she was holding, "No! That's not what I– No! That's not the reason why– He's a Slytherin!"

"Oh!" Her uncle sighed. "I see... You believe your mother will be angry at you for being friends with him?"

"They're not exactly popular, the Slytherins... I know that you and my mum were in Gryffindor, and my friends don't like Slytherins either, especially after what happened last year... but he's different."

She told him how Erick reached out to her in order to learn about muggles because he was to be interested in a girl, how much he'd helped her last year (she even dared to tell him about the Polyjuice potion) and that now she considered him a good friend, and how guilty she felt for many reasons.

"I shouldn't feel bad about this," She concluded. At that point, the food was already cold, but none of them cared. "I don't like hiding things, I wish I could just tell them, and my mum..."

"Your mother won't react badly," He shook his head, "she knows a thing or two about befriending outcasts... she even married one!"

"My dad?" Mel frowned. "An outcast? When people talk about him they always sound so... fond of him, they admire him!"

"That was after he graduated," Her uncle raised a brow. "Before? He wasn't popular, people would take a look at him and think he was either stupid or incredibly smart, and none of those things helped him with the rest of the students. He was lucky to meet us. I guess that, in a way, we were all outcasts, and we were all lucky."

"So..." Mel tilted her head, "I'm doing the right thing?"

"Making friends is not a mistake, Mel. Judging only what's outside for everyone to see? That's what's wrong."

"I see," She lowered her head, still thinking. "You think I should tell my friends?"

"Maybe, but prepare the room first. Shock can bring out the worst in some people... and ask Erick if he wants to be seen, if not, then you're not hiding anything, you're respecting your friend's decision."

"I see," She repeated, "thank you."

"It's the least I can do," He smiled, "you've grown. I still remember the lousy toddler running around my garden and now you're sitting here, almost as tall as your mother... You make us proud, Little Em."

Mel smiled. She stood up and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," She mumbled, "I needed to hear that..."

* * *

"Is she asleep?"

"I don't know how she manages to have all that energy bottled up inside her," Emily groaned, rubbing her own back. "My shoulders are killing me! And that little girl has been climbing up trees for two days in a row and still runs around the house, packing things and making a fuss..."

"She's not that little now," The man reminded her, "thirteen is a big number, soon she'll be the same height as you-"

"Don't get me started," Emily warned. "I never got to be taller than my mother!"

"The Dumbledores have always been tall," He chuckled. "Remember fifth-year when Matt was taller than all of us? James couldn't handle it. He kept teasing him for ages, but we all knew he was just jealous."

"They refused to speak to each other for a week because Lily complimented Matt's coat!" Emily laughed. "James was so insulted! He was sure Matt was trying to win her over..."

"James was so blinded by his own feelings that he couldn't see Matt was terribly in love with you..."

"I can't comment on that, I didn't realize either."

"Yeah, well," He smirked, "you had your own little crush going on."

" _Love_ ," Emily rolled her eyes, then sat on the couch and sighed, "it really shouldn't be a thing when you're young and stupid."

"I think you're wrong."

"Well, of course," She laughed, "you didn't have a crush then, and if you did you hid it well- We never got to tease you!"

"Maybe it was the only thing I knew how to hide," He smiled absentmindedly, "did Mel tell you about her friend?"

A small smile appeared on the woman's lips.

" _Erick Flint._ Never heard that lastname so I'm hoping his family's not so bad. But judging by the things she's told me, they probably are..."

"Looks like you did a good job, she doesn't judge by looks, doesn't feel superior to others... Who knows? That friendship could save that boy's life."

"Yes," Emily sighed, "I know..."

_"Is it a bad time to tell you I need to pee?"_

_"Peter, please tell me you're joking," Emily groaned._

_"Yes, it's late. You should've said something before."_

_"I didn't want to go earlier!"_

_"James, do me a favor and step on Pete's toes if you can..." Sirius whispered._

_"Gladly..."_

_"Ouch! That was my foot, idiot!"_

_"Sorry, Mily!"_

_"Don't call me Mily!"_

_"Shut up! I heard something..." Matthew stopped, causing the whole group to stay still under the cloak, listening carefully to the sounds around them._

_"What?" James asked, "What're you hearing?"_

_"Steps..."_

_"Are you sure they're not ours?" Emily grinned._

_"Don't be silly..."_

_Then they heard them again, moving across the hall in front of them along with hurried whispers. McGonagall's figure next to Pomfrey, who was holding a student that both women seemed to be taking outside. The kids moved slowly, trying to distinguish the face of the young kid._

_"It's getting late," The teacher said worryingly, "it's about to happen, Poppy. We need to get him out..."_

_The women rushed out the door, not giving them time to watch._

_"Well," Matt sighed, "that was close..."_

_"Get him out?" James inquired. "Why would they need to get a student out in the middle of the night? You think that maybe..?"_

_He didn't finish his sentence, instead, he dragged the whole group to the main entrance without giving them time to react. They complained and huffed, but none of them tried to stop him. It was James, after all._ _When they arrived at the front door, the silhouettes were clearer, finally illuminated by the moonlight. Only then they managed to recognize the student._

_"Remus!" Matthew said, eyes widening._

_"Shut up! They'll hear us!" Sirius hissed, pinching his friend's arm._

_"I knew it!" Emily exclaimed in a low whisper, "I told you there was something strange about Remus! He disappears too often, that's not normal..."_

_"But what is it?" Peter asked anxiously._

_"Why don't we find out?" Matt replied. It was now his turn to drag the kids outside._

_"What're they doing?" James squinted._

_"They're taking him further away... to the trees..." Sirius tilted his head._

_"We can't follow them!" Emily grabbed James and Matt's arms._

_"Is the great Emily Sultens afraid?" James teased_.

_"No," She frowned. "But I have the feeling that if we keep going nothing good will happen. You know what they say, 'When bad feelings arrive, fly your broomstick and hide your cat'..."_

_"That's not a real thing," Sirius rolled his eyes._

_"You're not sure," She insisted, pulling them back, "can we please go back?"_

_"I still think you're a pansy- Ouch!" James hissed, Emily had elbowed his ribs._

_"Let's go," She demanded._

_"Okay," Matt agreed, trying to avoid getting punched, "but we'll have to confront Remus about this."_

_"Agree," Sirius nodded._

_"Fine."_

_"Sure..._ "

_"Can we go to the boy's toilets now?"_

"Emily?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you'd like some tea," The man raised a brow, "but I think it'd be better if you go directly to bed."

"I think so," She smiled tiredly, "sorry, got caught up with some memories. Nothing important. I'll see you in the morning..."


	4. Back In The Routine.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'When they arrived at the leaky cauldron, Mel wanted nothing but to take a nap for the rest of the week, but she soon forgot about it when Harry walked down the stairs, probably about to go shopping.'

The days passed and they finished packing. Mel tried several times to get an answer from her uncle about where he was going, but he would change the subject just as fast. 

She was worried, to say the least. If he moved even further away that'd be problematic for Mel and her mother. Considering how often her uncle gets sick, it was almost bound to be tricky, and now that she was attending Hogwarts, the chances of helping were slim.

Her uncle didn't seem to be thinking about that though, he did act nervous, and Mel had noticed he'd started to read magical books more than usual, most of them about creatures and curses and all that. She wondered if he was thinking of going on some kind of dangerous trip. Either way, it was time to say goodbye, and Mel knew she wouldn't be seeing him for a while, maybe until next summer.

She was getting ready to bed when something felt odd. She'd been feeling uneasy the whole day, but thought it was just the nerves and excitement of seeing her friends again. Thinking that maybe she'd gotten sick because now her muscles were also starting to hurt, the girl got out of her room and into the bathroom.

It was worse, way worse than she'd thought it would be. 

Mel had gotten her period.

"Oh no," She breathed, "no no no no no no..."

A knock startled her.

"Yes?" She said in a high-pitched voice.

"Is everything alright?" Uncle Lu asked, "You've been there for a while–"

"I need Mum," She said, "I'm- I'm having a bit of uh... I got my... I'm bleeding?"

There was a deafening silence after her sentence. After what felt like decades to her, Uncle Lu finally spoke up.

He cleared his throat, "I'll call her. You... you wait here..."

She was still a little girl... Okay not that little, but she was a _girl!_ Girls didn't have periods!

Or did they?

"Love?" Her mother called softly through the door, "Can I open the door?"

After a short confirmation, the door clicked and her mother entered holding a small package of something she recognized immediately. Mel started to cry.

"S'not fair!" She sniffed, "I don't like how it feels!"

"Oh, darling..." Her mother kneeled beside her, stroking her back. "I know is not nice, but it'll pass..."

"I don't want it!" She continued, "There has to be some magical fix that you can give me!"

"There is," Her mother grimace, "but I can't give it to you, this is the first time, you have to let it happen–"

"Why?! It sucks!" She didn't know why she was so affected about it, as if the worst of diseases had fallen upon her.

"It could damage your body if you cut it out so soon..." her mother cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable, "I don't know if you'll want babies, but it's better to have all the options than having none, right?"

_"Babies?!"_ She said with horror, "I am a _baby!_ I don't even know if I'll want to date!"

Emily's lip quivered, but it was hard to tell if it was because she was holding her laughter, or if she was just as affected as the girl.

"I don't want you to grow up either, Mel. But it looks like your body has a different idea."

Mel leaned back on the toilet, looking up at the ceiling in total despair. 

"This is it. The boys will know."

Her mother laughed.

"They won't. But who cares, anyway?"

"I do!" She frowned. "And I'll have to deal with this nonsense! How long 'till I can take something to make it stop?"

"A year," Her mother said, preparing for impact.

_"A YEAR?!"_

"Shh! Mel, you'll scare your uncle!"

"A year," She repeated, "oh, _bloody-_ I mean... this is going to be a horrible year."

Once she was tucked in bed, sad as ever, her uncle sneaked inside her room, holding a cup of something.

"Chocolate," He said simply, before leaving again, "drink it, it'll help."

* * *

She stayed silent for most of the trip, sleepy and soar, didn't want to talk about it. It was sad to leave her uncle like this, but she hoped he understood, Mel was growing against her will.

When they arrived at the leaky cauldron, Mel wanted nothing but to take a nap for the rest of the week, but she soon forgot about it when Harry walked down the stairs, probably about to go shopping.

She dropped her luggage in surprise, the noise catching his attention.

"Glasses!" She rushed over to the boy. "How've you been? Did you miss us lots?"

Harry chuckled as he returned the hug.

"I've been busy... How was your break from my annoying face and all?"

"It... went well, most of it anyway," She shrugged, deciding she wouldn't say a thing to Harry about her new burden. "Are you going to Diagon Alley? Mum! Can I go?"

Emily approached the kids, giving Harry a quick kiss and hug before replying.

"Just try to get here before dinner, I'll take the things to our room..."

Both kids went to the back door and pressed the third brick on the wall.

"There's a new broom," Harry started, practically dragging her to the store, "you ought to see it, I want to ask about the price but I won't dare, I have my nimbus after all, but it's just... you _need_ to see it."

They stopped at the shopfront, Harry pointed eagerly to the broom facing them.

Mel gasped when she saw it. It was truly impressive, the way the wood and every little branch was shaped so perfectly. Its name was _Firebolt_ , and Mel loved it.

"Woah..." She leaned closer, it looked like she was trying to go through the glass, "should we ask? Just to know- I know I wouldn't be able to afford it... not that I need it since I'm not on the team but... wow"

"I know," Harry agreed.

"Harry! Mel! HARRY!" A voice called from a few feet away.

Sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, were Ron and Hermione, both waving at them. 

"Finally!" said Ron once they approached them. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"

"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" 

"You didn't tell them?" Mel frowned.

Harry seemed taken by surprise by her question.

"I only told you..."

"Dad told me," Ron replied casually.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione seriously.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry while Ron and Mel laughed. "I just — lost control."

"It's not funny," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled." 

"Oh, I am too," Mel nodded.

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" Ron chuckled. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things." 

"Excellent!" said Harry. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two." 

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione had three full bags of books.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry. 

Ron laughed. Hermione ignored them. 

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice _book_?" Ron asked innocently. 

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol —" 

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers. And I want to get him checked over," he placed Scabbers on the table. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him." 

"Poor thing," Mel mumbled, then added, "I need to buy my stuff too, just got here from visiting my uncle..."

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, pointing to his left. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl. Then we can get your stuff, Mel." 

* * *

_"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle._

_"Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"_

_Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers._

_"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door._

_"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed._

"How pretty!" Hermione approached the cat as the boys ran out of the store.

"Uh-oh," Mel whispered, "Mione, are you sure?"

"Crookshanks has been here for ages, you know," The witch lamented, "he's got an awful temper, that's why..."

"Has he?" Hermione asked, deeply touched, "but is he in for adoption?"

"Yes," The woman said with hopeful eyes. "Are you interested?"

"I am," Hermione beamed.

"Mione," Mel said with caution, "that cat went straight for Ron's throat."

"He just got excited," Hermione brushed off, "I'll take him."

_"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open._

_"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing._

_"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron._

_"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione._

_The cat purred happily in her arms._

"At least Grey will have some company now," Mel added.

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?" 

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic. And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him." She said as she offered the tonic to Ron.

"I wonder why," said Ron sarcastically. 

"Let's move on," Mel pushed him away from the girl, "I got some shopping to do..."

"Harry! Mel!" Mr. Weasley said as they entered the leaky cauldron. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry.

"How are you?" Mel asked politely.

Mr. Weasley put down his paper, Harry spoke up before the man could reply.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" he asked, pointing at the picture in the Daily Prophet. Sirius Black.

"Hey!" Mel's eyes widened. "That guy was on the telly!"

"Well of course he is," Ron rolled his eyes. "He's just as dangerous to muggles as he is to us."

"Who is he?"

"He's a murderer!" Ron replied eagerly. "Quite crazy, they said they killed about ten–"

"No," said Mr. Weasley, interrupting his son and giving him a severe look. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words." 

Mrs. Weasley got inside the place, followed by the rest of her children. Ginny, as usual, got very red when she saw Harry, barely capable of muttering just a greeting. Percy, however, was outdoing himself.

"Harry. How nice to see you." Percy shook his hand with utter formality.

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, glancing at Mel and trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy still on the same tone.

"Very well, thanks —" 

_"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy —"_

_"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."_

_Percy scowled._

_"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley._

_"Mum!" said Fred as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand too. "How really corking to see you —"_

_"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair._

Mel laughed, unable to stay quiet any longer. The twins noticed her presence and dropped the act, ruffling her hair in their normal attitude. She hugged both of the boys, truly happy to see them again.

"Hello, dears. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" Mrs. Weasley pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!"

"And last," Fred muttered to Mel, though he did it loudly enough for his mother to hear.

"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, snorting. "It'd take all the fun out of life." 

"Besides, you'd have to punish yourselves all the time," Mel teased.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy. "I'm going up to change for dinner..."

As he left the room, George added. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid, but Mum spotted us." 

"Pitty," Mel rolled her eyes, but grinned anyway. "I bet Egypt was fun..."

"We got so many new ideas!" Fred replied, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her towards the stairs, "Hear us out..."

"I don't want any part on it, just to set things clear," Mel shook her head, "I'm starting new this year! I told you Dumbledore offered to give me extra lessons? I can't set a bad example now!"

"Oh, don't be dull," George scoffed, "don't tell us you're planning to be Head Girl or something..."

"Maybe," She shrugged, "I told you, you can't judge people just because they don't have the same goals..."

"Well, that's just a terrible idea," Fred shook his head, "A Head Girl! Think of all the possibilities you're throwing out! Behaving like a good student won't leave enough fun memories for when you grow up."

"Yeah, what're you going to tell your kids?" George inquired. "All your stories will be about your study sessions and the grades you got– That's boring."

"I don't know if I want kids!" Mel snapped, her talk with her mother coming back in full force.

"Don't upset her," Ginny had followed them upstairs, she managed to push her way in between George and Mel, and was now grabbing her arm, pulling her away from Fred's grip. "It's my turn to talk to her, go away!"

"You saw that?" Fred said with wide eyes, "The disrespect!"

"You give them freedom and this is how they pay you," George shook his head, "okay then, we'll leave you..."

"Come on," Ginny said to her with excitement, "I'll show you all I got from Egypt!"


	5. Dementors.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'When they approached the bar Harry tugged her sleeve and made her stop, she turned to look at him, confused by his actions, then she paid attention to the voices coming from the parlor.'

_"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —"_

_"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back._

Mel had been standing on the doorway, witnessing the argument, she hadn't taken the badge, but she had a feeling that neither had Ron.

"What's up?" said Harry, standing beside her.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy. 

"So's Scabbers's rat tonic," said Ron, rummaging through his things. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said.

"I'll go with you," Mel didn't feel like being there to see Ron lose his temper.

When they approached the bar Harry tugged her sleeve and made her stop, she turned to look at him, confused by his actions, then she paid attention to the voices coming from the parlor.

"...makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and—"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!" 

Mel frowned, leaning.

"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard! You know what Harry, Mel, and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves — they've even ended up in the Forbidden Forest! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."

"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point —"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been a month, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after —" 

"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry —" 

There was a loud noise, someone had hit the table and it made both kids jump.

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: _'He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts.'_ Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."

"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"

"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."

"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"

"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards, nor am I, if it comes to that... but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."

"If they save Harry —"

"— then I will never say another word against them. It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..." 

Mel went back on her tracks hurriedly and dragged Harry with her, they hid together until Mr. and Mrs. Weasley disappeared from their sight. They kept glancing at each other from time to time, but none of them dared to speak, they didn't know what to say.

Fred and George were near Ron's room. As expected, it was them who'd stolen Percy's badge, and they were having a blast out of hearing his hysteric search.

"We've been improving it." Fred showed them the badge, it now said _'Bighead Boy'_. 

Mel heard Harry forcing a laugh, and she mumbled something about returning it before Ron killed Percy. Harry went in to give their friend the tonic and she went directly to her room, where her mother was quietly helping her pack all her things.

"You're back," She said casually, "exactly how many socks do you think you'll be-?"

"Sirius Black is after Harry," Mel said without wasting any time, "and you _knew_."

Her mother opened and closed her mouth without talking.

"How did you-?"

"That's the reason why the Minister was looking for Harry, wasn't it? And why you got scared? Because you knew."

"Lower your voice!" Her mother replied in an angry whisper.

"I can't believe it!" Mel sat her bed. "He's after Harry? Why? Voldemort's dead, he-"

"I don't know," Her mother replied dryly, "I don't know why is he doing this! How he ended up like that, exactly when did he lost his mind or... or perhaps he was crazy from the start, that'd explain so many things-"

"Why are you saying it like you knew him?" Mel asked in hesitation.

"I don't," Emily stood up, a single flick of her wand put Mel's things in order, "and you certainly won't go around searching for information on him. No, you'll be in Hogwarts- You'll be _safe_..."

"You're rambling."

"There's much you don't know," The woman concluded. "And I won't tell you. I'm sorry, Mel. Some things are better not to talk about."

"What is that even supposed to mean?" She scoffed.

"Goodnight," The woman insisted, "you have a busy day ahead of you."

They didn't talk after that.

_____________________________

Mel didn't find it in herself to insist on the matter with her mum or try to talk about it with Harry. He seemed too calm, a tad serious, perhaps. She kept glancing at him, but Harry never acknowledged whether he'd noticed or not. Once in the station, her mother hugged her and apologized once more, though Mel found it very discouraging. No amount of apologies could make up for the fact that her mother was hiding things from her, _again_.

Mel casually moved to Harry's side, and she was about to say something when Mr. Weasley got closer as well.

"Harry," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here a moment... You too, Mel. Maybe it's better if you both know."

They shared a look before following the man to a near corner.

"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" 

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "We already know."

"You know? How could you know?"

"I — er — We heard you and Mrs. Weasley talking last night."

"We couldn't help hearing," Harry added quickly. "Sorry —"

"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley.

"No — honestly, it's okay. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on." 

"Harry, you must be very scared —" 

"I'm not," said Harry. "Really," he added, noticing both Mel and Mr. Weasley's stares. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Voldemort, can he?"

"Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but —"

"Sorry," Said Mel with a hesitant voice, "but why should I be listening to this?"

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!" 

"They're coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, then he turned to look at them. "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"

"— that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry.

"And I won't try to search for more information on it?"

"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley. "Swear to me you won't go looking for Black."

Harry a Mel shared a confused look. 

"What?" They asked.

The guards were starting to close the doors, the train was about to leave.

"Promise me," said Mr. Weasley insisted, "that whatever happens —" 

"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry.

"Why would _I?"_ Mel frowned, "I know I'm overprotective sometimes, but not so much as to-"

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear —"

"Arthur, quickly!" Mrs. Weasley yelled.

Mel and Harry ran to the train and hopped on it while Ron held the door open.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny.

"I'll look for you in a while, okay?" Mel offered with a small smile.

They moved through the corridor looking for a compartment, but they were all full. However, Ron stopped in front of one, since she was right at the end of the line, she didn't see if there was someone inside of it until the rest got in.

She came into a halt and stared, words losing all meaning as she looked at the man sleeping there, wearing what it seemed to be a really old set of robes.

What, in the bloody hell was her _uncle_ doing there?

"That's why he was moving," She whispered in utter shock.

"What?" Harry turned to her, sitting next to the man.

Right then she had two options: She could either pretend she didn't know the man and hope for him to stay asleep for the whole trip, or she could explain who he was. While she was deciding, Ron spoke up.

"Who d'you reckon he is?"

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

_"Professor?"_ Mel squealed, and they all looked at her again, confused by her attitude.

"How d'you know that?" Ron glanced at the other girl.

"It's on his case," Hermione replied, pointing at the luggage.

Oh, she knew that case. She'd helped him find that case in the middle of the huge mess his closet was. It didn't say _Professor_ , though.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron.

"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts." 

"Oh..." Mel sat down next to Harry, clinging at her sleeves.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?"

"He'll manage, I mean..." Mel said abruptly, her whole face turned red. "I mean, he may look a bit sick, but he also looks smart, don't you think?"

"...Anyway," Ron turned to Harry, not before giving her a weird look. "What were you going to tell us?" 

She spent a lot of time in silence. She wasn't mad. At least that's what she thought, but her uncle not telling her anything made her blood boil. Did any of the adults she consider her family trusted her? Or did they think she was too young to participate in the discussions?

Well, not all of the adults. Dumbledore never judged her, and he was going to give her extra lessons that year, she guessed that if there was someone she could currently truly trust, that one wasn't uncle Lupin. It was uncle _Dumbledore_.

"I suppose he's asleep?" said Ron quietly as the witch with the trolley left their compartment. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione. 

"Harry, may I speak with you for a moment?" Mel urged him. 

Harry raised his eyebrows in wonder.

"Yes?"

She took his hand and pulled him out of the compartment, hands shaking.

"Remember my uncle?"

"The one that got sick?" She nodded, "Why?"

"Well," She peered over his shoulder, biting her lip, "that's him..."

It took him a moment to understand what she was saying.

"You mean the man in our compartment?"

"Yes."

"That's your uncle?"

"Yes!" She groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Remember I told you he was going to move out? Well, he never told me exactly where he was going, now I see why- No, I don't see why, did he think I would get upset? I'm not... _ugh!_ Why are they hiding so many things from me?!"

"Calm down!" Harry put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure there's a reason, but don't get so heated about it."

"Easy for you to say," She grumbled.

"Oh yes, easy," Harry said, "not like everyone around me also hid that there's a murderer chasing after me or anything..."

Mel realized her mistake and stammered an apology.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I know," Harry sighed, "let's go back inside and if you don't want to say anything to Ron and Hermione that's okay, to be honest, I don't think he'll be waking up any time soon, he looks tired."

"Poor thing," Mel pouted. "He must have traveled alone for a really long time, and he doesn't have money to spare, I bet he hasn't eaten much these few days..."

"At least he's on his way to the castle now," Harry removed the hand from her shoulder, she felt a bit sad about this. "I'm sure he'll enjoy the feast."

* * *

Mel stayed quiet for the most part, even when Malfoy tried to pick a fight with Harry and Ron she didn't try to stop them. She was anxious, and all she wanted was to get to school soon. The train slowed down, and Ron stood up to peer out the window.

"Great. I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione.

"So why're we stopping?"

Harry got up from his seat to look out the corridor. Before they could figure things out, the lights went off, leaving them in complete darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice. 

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!" 

Harry returned to his seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno..."

"Impossible," said Mel. 

"There's something moving out there," Ron said, cleaning the window so he could see better. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door opened again and someone fell between Harry and Mel.

"Sorry — d'you know what's going on? — Ouch — sorry —"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, and helped him to sit up.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea — sit down —"

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," Hermione said loudly. 

Mel heard two squeals on her left and jumped, holding onto someone else's arm.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!" 

"Why is it so cold?" Mel breathed, curling up in her place.

"Ouch!" said Neville, Ginny had stepped on his foot.

_"Quiet!"_ said a hoarse voice.

Remus Lupin was finally awake.

The kids waited, a soft cracking sound later, her uncle's face appeared, softly illuminated by a small flame dancing on his hand. 

"Stay where you are," he said, and he got up slowly.

The door opened a third time. A cloaked figure stood in front of them. She pushed herself even further away but it was useless, the creature seemed to take a long, harsh breath, and all she felt was cold.

Cold so overwhelming that she couldn't breathe- and the walls were falling around her, and she was being thrown against a wall, she was dying and then...

"Mel! Harry! Are you alright?!"

She sat up with a gasp, touching her own arms frantically, waiting to see them turned into ice. Everything seemed to be normal, the train was moving again and she was just fine. The only proof of whatever had been going on moments before was that deep, hollow feeling in her chest.

Harry was on the ground, and she was sprawled on their seat. She quickly composed herself.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, glancing at the door. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?" 

"No one screamed," said Ron, his expression worsening.

"The walls were falling," Mel said, still too dizzy to understand that what she was saying made no sense.

"Mel, did you hit your head?" Hermione asked carefully.

"What?" She looked at her in confusion, "No?"

"But I heard screaming —" Harry insisted.

Something snapped behind her friends and they all turned to watch as her uncle broke into several pieces a bar of chocolate.

"Here," He handed her and Harry two large pieces. "Eat it. It'll help." 

She looked down at the candy and then to her uncle, wondering if she was dreaming.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked.

"A dementor," The man replied while handing the rest of the chocolate to all the kids. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. 

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..." 

He avoided Mel's eyes at all cost.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hermione watched them anxiously.

"I don't get it... What happened?" 

"Well — that thing — the dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you —"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching — and Mel just whimpered and curled up in her seat-"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand, and he said, _'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.'_ But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."

"It was horrible," said Neville, still shivering. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt it even before they came in," Mel mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "That was so strange..."

"I felt weird," said Ron, "Like I'd never be cheerful again..." 

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..." 

"Well, apparently I passed out too," Mel grumbled, looking at the chocolate in her hand, "I don't understand what I saw..."

Lupin came back right at that moment. He noticed none of them had eaten and said with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

Mel took a small bite, and she felt the effects almost immediately, feeling a comforting warmth spreading through her chest.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," He said. "Are you all right?" 

"Fine," Harry muttered, embarrassed.

"I'm all right," Mel mumbled, "How are you, _Professor?"_

Lupin's smiled faded a little, doubt seeping through his eyes.

"I'm well enough, thank you, Miss Dumbledore."

They didn't talk for the rest of the ride, she had a nagging pain at the back of her neck, maybe she'd pulled on some muscle when the dementor attacked her, she couldn't tell. As they walked out of the carriage, a voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You two actually fainted?" 

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron through gritted teeth.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy, standing in front of them. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"You know what, Malfoy? The school year hasn't started," Mel growled, pushing Harry and Ron away so she stood in front of the boy, "so don't tempt me, cause I'll gladly ruin my first day getting detention by turning your big, empty head into a big pile of–"

"Is there a problem?" said a voice. 

Lupin had just gotten out of his carriage.

"Oh, no — er — Professor," Malfoy smirked, turning his back to them and heading to the main staircase.

"Mis Dumbledore, could I talk to you for a moment?" He said severely.

"Come on," Hermione pushed Ron and Harry so they kept walking while Mel stood there, waiting for Professor Lupin.

"I suppose you're expecting an apology," He stared at her intently, "though it wouldn't be appropriate to do it in public-"

"Professor," She said formally, "I was just wondering, why you and my mum keep hiding things like I'm still a baby. I'm not. I don't understand why you didn't tell me."

"I thought that having me as your teacher would be... difficult for you."

"Difficult?"

"Embarrassing," The man sighed, "I'm aware that my appearance isn't the best, and it could put you in a bad position if you admitted that we're related."

"You thought I'd be ashamed?" Mel frowned.

"I guess I was nervous about your reaction... you have the right to pretend you don't know me if that's what you want-"

"I don't," She admitted, "I saw you reading all those books, it makes sense now. I would never be ashamed of you, you're my family even if we have no relation in blood... But I suppose you're right, I shouldn't say a thing, they already think Dumbledore hands everything to me on a silver platter..."

"I can pretend I hate you a little?" He said with a tiny smile, "that way the other kids won't tease you."

"And be sure to scold me very loudly as well," Mel nodded.

Lupin chuckled, patting her shoulder lightly.

"Go catch up with your friends, I'll see you later."

"Goodbye, Professor," She said, "and Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I know you'll be brilliant."

* * *

"Potter and Dumbledore! Granger! I want to see you!" Professor McGonagall called over the heads of the crowd.

"How many times have we heard our names being called like that during the last two years?" Mel whispered to her friends as they got closer, "and how many times it's been good news?"

"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," Their Professor told them before anyone could reply to Mel's questions "Move along there, Weasley." 

She took them to her office.

"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train." She said, looking at Harry and Her.

There was a knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey came in.

"Oh no," Mel stood up suddenly, "it wasn't that bad-"

"I'm fine," Harry said, "I don't need anything —"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, starting to check Harry's pupils. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?" 

"It was a dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

"Setting dementors around a school," The nurse muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "They won't be the last ones who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Neither am I!" Mel added in outrage.

"Of course you're not," She replied absentmindedly, taking their pulse. 

"What do they need?" said Professor McGonagall. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?" 

"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up and standing next to Mel. "We both are!"

"Well, they should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey. 

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave us some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey raising a brow. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?" 

"He seems capable enough," Mel hurried to add.

"Are you sure you feel all right?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Completely," Mel nodded.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together." 

Both kids went outside, feeling even more self-conscious than before.

"What a bunch of rubbish," She complained, "we fainted a little, that's all! We didn't need all this..."

"Can you imagine what Malfoy would've said if he heard about us spending the night in the hospital wing?"

"To hell with Malfoy, we would've missed the feast!"

Harry chuckled, then stared at her a bit more intently.

"You _are_ alright, aren't you?"

"Do I look like I'm about to die?" She grinned. "Although, I don't know how could they tell you were ill, you look exactly as pale and scrawny as usual, I don't see the difference-"

"Hey!" He said over her laughter, "I was going to say that you look as nice as always, but now I take it back!"

"What?" She chortled. "Oh no! What will I do without your compliments?" 

Harry laughed.

Hermione walked out of the room with McGonagall beside her, both kids stopped their chatter and followed them to the Great Hall, eager to start the feast.


	6. Bad Omens.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Her voice died mid-sentence. Erick glanced between her friends and his with brief panic, then he fixed the strap of his bag that had slid down from the impact and cleared his throat.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't have a schedule for this one, but I promise I will post at least one chapter per week! -Danny

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

"What was all that about?" Ron muttered to Harry as they sat down.

"Later," Mel whispered, "Dumbledore's about to speak."

The elder man stood up, beaming down at his students.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." 

There was a glint of annoyance in his eyes, but he didn't fully show it.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the ground, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."

"I hope is not like last year," Mel whispered to Hermione, "I don't want to be watched all day..."

"Because someone might notice you're studying with a Slytherin?" Hermione asked sharply.

"You're not being funny," Mel pinched her arm lightly.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." 

Mel clapped, some students were reluctant to give him a warm welcome, she couldn't blame them, their former teachers hadn't been exactly trustworthy.

"As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties." 

The kids burst into a round of applause, so loud that Hagrid even teared up a little, happy for all the excitement the news had brought to the students.

"We should've known!" Ron exclaimed. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

"I hope he knows what he's doing, that's it," Mel said with worry.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!" 

* * *

When Harry, Mel, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, Draco Malfoy, pretended to faint as they walked past, most of his friends roared with laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."

"Hey!" Pansy Parkinson, yelled at them. "The dementors are coming! Woooooooo!"

In the corner of the group sat Erick, looking bored and unimpressed. When Pansy called, his eyes landed on Mel and gave a short, apologetic smile. She nodded discretely before heading to her own table and sitting next to Fred.

_"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?"_

_"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table._

_George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again._

_"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"_

_"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy._

_"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors..."_

_"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred._

_"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice._

_"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."_

"No wonder why," Mel shivered, the memory still too fresh in her mind.

"All right, little lady?" Fred nudged her arm. "I heard you had it rough as well..."

"It was confusing, and cold. But nothing I can't handle," She smiled awkwardly.

"That's the spirit," Fred patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Harry, you're spilling pumpkin juice on the table," George complained.

The boy had been staring at Mel and Fred, unaware that he'd filled his glass to the brim.

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred, ignoring Harry's incident. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?" 

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," Hermione said, happily reading her own schedule. 

_"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your schedule. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."_

_"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."_

_"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And" — Ron leaned closer to the schedule, disbelieving — "look — underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"_

_"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."_

_"Well, then —"_

_"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.  
_

_"But —"_

_"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my schedule's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."_

_Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absentmindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand._

_"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on the way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready... Hope it's okay... Me, a teacher... hones'ly..."_

_He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat._

_"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice._

"We'll find out soon enough," Mel shrugged.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower." Ron checked his schedule, "It'll take us ten minutes to get there..." 

They ate quickly and said goodbye to the twins, passing next to the Slytherin table only to be met by Malfoy's stupid impression once more. All the students sitting there cackled.

Mel was so focused on cursing under her breath that she didn't pay attention to the people ahead. She crashed against a tall student and heard a soft grunt, she looked up to apologize.

"Oof!" She huffed, "I'm sorry! I wasn't..."

Her voice died mid-sentence. Erick glanced between her friends and his with brief panic, then he fixed the strap of his bag that had slid down from the impact and cleared his throat.

"It's all right, Miss..." He said lowly.

He was turning to leave when one of his friends sneered at her.

"Watch your massive feet, nut-head!"

Harry stepped forward, jaw clenched. 

"Say that again!" 

It was quite nice of him to get offended on her behalf, but Harry was way shorter than the other boy and she didn't want to know who'd win in a fight between the two of them. The Slytherin tried to move forward as well but Erick stopped him, tightly gripping his forearm.

"Really, Faustus," He rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for this! Professor Snape values punctuality and he isn't forgiving. We need to go."

Mel was amazed at how he kept a cool head. Or perhaps, unlike her, Erick just didn't mind when his friends were aggressive with others.

"Harry..." She pulled her friend, "let's go..."

Harry and the boy (the one Erick called Faustus) sent deathly stares to each other before stepping back.

"Excuse us," Erick mumbled, trying not to sound too polite with the lions.

"Pretentious twat," Ron scoffed on their way to the stairs. "Acted as if touching him was a crime..."

Mel blinked. If she was honest, she didn't think Erick had acted like that at all. There was something different about him, though. She couldn't tell exactly what, but he didn't look the same... what was it?

"All I see," She replied, deciding that it was better to just drop it and change the subject, "it's us getting late for class– Move along!"

* * *

 _'Erick was right,'_ Mel thought with a hint of bitterness.

She wasn't planning on admitting that out loud, but still, what a disappointment it was. 

Professor Trelawney welcomed them and it only took her a few minutes to declare the class as a waste of time.

"Welcome to Divination," The woman said. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

Mel had a funny, yet awful occurrence, when the Professor said those words so matter-of-factly: She reminded her of Lockhart.

"So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field... Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said to Neville. "Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so?" said Neville.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear. We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she looked at Parvati, "beware a red-haired man."

Parvati jumped and drew her chair away from Ron, who was right behind her.

"Don't worry, Parvati," Mel whispered, "she said man, not _baby_."

Ron kicked her leg under the table, causing her to snort.

"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever."

She heard some of her classmates loudly gulp and gasp.

"I wonder, dear, if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?" Lavender obliged, clearly relieved that she didn't get any clarifications on her future. "Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."

The girl returned to her seat, shaking.

"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear" She lightly grabbed Neville's arm, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."

Mel paired up with Hermione, both girls sharing the same skeptical looks as they drank the tea without talking.

"My turn..." She heard Ron's voice as he lifted Harry's cup to eye level. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat, maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..."

She got distracted for a moment, hearing his funny efforts. She watched him turn the cup to the other side, brows knitting together.

"But this way it looks more like an acorn... What's that?" Mel found Harry's amused eyes already looking back at her, both fighting against their giggles. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some... and there's a thing here," the boy continued, too focused on his work, "that looks like an animal... yeah, if that was its head... it looks like a hippo... no, a sheep..."

The students were incapable to hold any longer, their laughter catching Trelawney's attention.

"Let me see that, my dear," she said to Ron, taking the cup away from his hands. "The falcon... my dear, you have a deadly enemy."

"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a whisper.

Professor Trelawney looked at her as if she didn't understand.

"Well, they do," Hermione explained. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."

"No no 'Mione, you got it all wrong," Mel said with innocence, "it's obviously talking about Malfoy!"

Harry laughed louder.

"The club..." Their Professor insisted, louder than before, "An attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..."

"I thought that was a bowler hat..."

"The skull... danger in your path, my dear..."

She turned the cup the other way and let out a terrified scream. Everyone jumped on their seats, Neville dropped his second cup of tea and stared, eyes widening.

"My dear boy..." She retreated to her armchair, shaking. "My poor, dear boy... no... it is kinder not to say... no... don't ask me..."

"What is it, Professor?" asked Dean Thomas at once.

The kids were now surrounding their table, full of curiosity.

"My dear," Professor Trelawney lamented, "you have the Grim."

"The _what?"_ asked Mel and Harry in unison.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim! The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!"

If Mel had had a cup in her hands at the moment, she would've dropped it. The memory of that dark, horrid figure of a dog back in private drive coming to her with impressive clarity.

"I don't think it looks like a Grim," She hadn't notice Hermione moved from her chair towards Trelawney's seat tilting her head and examining the teacup herself.

"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future." The Professor let out with resentment.

"It looks like a Grim if you do this," Seamus added, "but it looks more like a donkey from here."

"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, exasperated with the argument.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney. "Yes... please pack away your things..."

They silently packed their things, unable to process the news.

* * *

She was terribly worried about Harry's fate, but her mind drifted drastically as Professor McGonagall started to talk about Animagi.

"...It takes time, and it is not a skill that should be practiced lightly, for its consequences if done poorly can cause irreparable mutations or harm to the wizard's body," She pointed to the blackboard behind her, the lesson appearing as she spoke, "if you're interested, you can learn to transform into your own animal figure while studying at Hogwarts. With the proper training, I assure you, you can accomplish the task. I'm a fair good example of how dedication can bring success..."

A second later, right where Professor McGonagall stood moments before, a tabby cat stared intently, unnerving, the same marks around its eyes that resembled McGonagall's glasses.

Mel gave a light gasp, leaning further on her seat to watch the cat turn into her Professor again. Unfortunately, she seemed to be the only one paying attention.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —" Hermione started, but it was soon cut off.

"Ah, of course," The witch frowned. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

 _Oh, right._ Mel blushed, ashamed that she'd forgotten about the tragic fate of her best friend.

"Me," said Harry beside her.

"I see," Professor McGonagall, studied his figure carefully. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues... Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney —"

She stopped, trying to find the right, polite words to express her feelings.

"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Mel let out a sigh. If there was someone they could trust apart from Dumbledore, that was Professor McGonagall.

* * *

"Harry," Ron said during lunch, still not over their divination class, "you haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," Harry replied, glancing knowingly at Mel. "We saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."

"Probably a stray," said Hermione.

"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," Ron stammered. "My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence," Hermione insisted.

"You don't know what you're talking about! Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then. They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

"Mel, you believe it, right?" Ron turned to her, waiting for her approval.

"Oh, yeah," She said sarcastically, "I fully support the possibility of my best friend's death hanging right around the corner, I find it utterly exciting..."

Harry snorted, but Ron didn't find it funny at all. He frowned, pushing his plate away.

"I think Divination seems very woolly," Hermione continued, casually reading her Arithmancy book. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron.

"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep."

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"

Hermione slammed her book so hard that food jumped out of her plate, scaring the students around her.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"

Ron watched in disbelief as she left the table.

"What's she talking about?" He asked them. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

* * *

"When are you having your first lesson with Dumbledore?" Harry asked her as they walked to Hagrid's hut for their class.

"Dunno," She shrugged, a nervous smile dancing on her lips. "I'm so excited, though! I studied a lot, you know that. I can only imagine what he's planned for me, and I can't wait to learn..."

"I'm happy you get to have those," Harry replied, "that means you're closer to what you saw on the mirror in our first year. I always knew you would make it."

Mel's cheeks reddened, she'd forgotten about it.

"Sure," She said, avoiding his eyes, "I'm close..."

Hagrid took them to a clearing near his house, they waited there for a short moment, then Hagrid came back with...

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

"So pretty..." Mel breathed in wonder.

"So," said Hagrid, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer —"

Harry, Mel, Ron, and Hermione approached the fence slowly.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

She would've been worried about what Hagrid had said, but she was far gone on her own little world, watching the creatures with a newfound type of love and admiration.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.

"Right — who wants ter go first?"

The hippogriffs didn't seem quite pleased with the demonstration, they moved their wings and huffed, Mel pondered for a moment– it seemed dangerous, yet, she was eager to touch, to _know_.

"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.

She was about to raise her hand when Harry's voice came from her right.

"I'll do it."

Her head snapped towards him, eyes widening.

"Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!" Lavender lamented, saying exactly what Mel's head was screaming.

Harry climbed over the fence, he didn't look afraid at all.

That was a lie, of course, but if he asked once he was back with the rest of the students, Mel would assure him that he never once looked scared.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He grabbed the gray Hippogriff from the group and untied its chains.

"Easy, now, Harry," said Hagrid. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much... Tha's it, tha's it, Harry... now, bow..."

Mel felt her hands sweating. _Bowing?_ In front of that massive creature with a _giant_ _beak?_

Harry obliged and bowed to Buckbeak. For a terrifying moment, it looked like the Hippogriff wasn't going to reciprocate at all.

"Ah," said Hagrid, frowning with worry. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —"

Then the creature bent its front knees and sank into an unmistakable bow.

"Oh!" Mel jumped excitedly in her place, wishing to be the next participant.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, beaming. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on! Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him! Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint, an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..."

Harry climbed against his will, and the creature flew above their heads for a short period of time before landing harshly back on the ground. Mel released the breath she was holding, the hand holding the fence turning white.

"Good work, Harry!" Hagrid was extremely pleased. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

"I do!" Mel jumped right away, several students following her.

She approached the chestnut Hippogriff, wanting to try with a different one since she felt that trying with Buckbeak would be easy now that he was at ease. 

It was quite simple, all she had to do was keep eye contact, and it wasn't so hard considering how long she'd been staring since the lesson started, completely mesmerized by the creatures. The Hippogriff bowed to her almost instantly, and she calmly approached to pat its head gently before stepping back so Ron and Hermione could give it a try.

"Well done," Harry told her when she stood beside him, "you made it look easy."

" _You_ made it look easy," Mel raised a brow. "You flew! Can't believe all the good things keep happening to you..."

"Oh yeah, all the good things," Harry snorted, "death sentences and all..."

She grinned, shaking her head.

"You won't die, Glasses."

"This is very easy," Malfoy's voice distracted them, he was patting Buckbeak's head with disdain. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you great ugly brute?"

Buckbeak made a quick, aggressive movement and next thing they knew, Malfoy was crying on the ground.

"I'm dying! I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

Hagrid ran up to him and took Buckbeak away from the boy.

"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid anxiously. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"

The whole class followed Hagrid back to the castle.

"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy, crying almost as much as Malfoy.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas.

Crabbe and Goyle made an attempt to approach and Mel casually walked closer to Dean, sending a warning look towards the unpleasant boys.

"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy as she ran up the main stairs.

* * *

They decided to pay Hagrid a visit, worried about how things had gone.

" 'Spect it's a record," he said lowly once they sat on the table with him. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

"Not yet- But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy..."

"How is he? It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid, "but he's sayin' it's still agony... covered in bandages... moanin'..." 

"Malfoy's a whining twat!" Mel snapped.

"He's faking it," Harry agreed. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course. They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later... done flobberworms or summat... Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson... 'S all my fault..."

"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

"It was a marvelous lesson," Mel assured him, "all of us are unharmed and we were just as close as him to all the hippogriffs"

He nodded quietly, tears falling down his face as he hugged Ron and Harry so tight that they seemed about to break in half.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione.

"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron.

Hagrid got up and followed Hermione outside. They heard a splash as she emptied his large glass and he sank his head on the water barrel from outside.

"Tha's better," Hagrid said, going back inside and speaking with more clarity. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really —" He stopped, staring at Harry for a brief second before starting to scream. "WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH? YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU THREE! LETTIN' HIM!"

Hagrid pulled him towards the door.

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!" 


	7. New Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Professor Lupin entered the room just then, looking way better than the first night.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not support Rowling's transphobic tweets and that's on that. I'll continue posting this story bc I love it dearly and it represents a big part of who I grew up to be. But Trans women are women and my stories are a safe place for the lgbt+ comunity -Danny

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan during their Potions class that Thursday morning, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" said Harry and Ron.

"Not too far from here- It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hotline. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

"Not too far from here..." Ron looked over at Harry and Mel. Then he caught Malfoy staring and sneered. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?" 

The boy had returned with his arm covered in bandages, he didn't need them of course, but no one seemed to notice. Snape forced Ron and Harry to do the hard work for him, so he was sitting on their table.

"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?" He asked with a taunting smile.

"Yeah, that's right," Harry said, not really paying attention.

"Of course, if it was me," Malfoy continued quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."

"Are you sure you wouldn't be crying under your bed?" Mel asked through greeted teeth.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Ron frowned.

"Don't you know, Potter?" Malfoy's eyes examined his expression.

"Know what?"

"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," Malfoy shrugged. "Want to leave it to the dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked with a lack of patience.

"You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's..." Snape said to the class.

They walked over to the gargoyle sink, Harry whispering his doubts to them.

"What did Malfoy mean? Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me — yet."

"He's making it up," said Ron. "He's trying to make you do something stupid..."

"Wouldn't be the first time, would it?" Mel scoffed.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, he was next to Neville and Hermione's table, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned." 

_The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat._

_There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm._

_The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown._

_"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."_

"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!- Where is she?"

Harry and Mel turned. Hermione was nowhere to be seen. 

"She was right behind us..." 

Malfoy passed them between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked, and it took a great deal from her to not throw a shoe at his head.

"There she is," said Harry suddenly, pointing at the end of the stairs.

_"How did you do that?" said Ron.  
_

_"What?" said Hermione, joining them.  
_

_"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."_

_"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — I had to go back for something. Oh no —"_

_A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Harry wasn't surprised; he could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books._

_"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her._

_"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"_

_"But —" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."_

_"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. "I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall._

_"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked Harry._

"Maybe she's just carrying them to study between classes?" Mel offered, but she didn't actually believe that what she said was the whole truth.

A student approached her, he pocked her shoulder and gave her a note.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to give you this," He told her, going away as soon as he'd said it.

"Oh?" She unfolded the note. "Oh! It's my lesson!"

"What does it say?" Ron leaned over to read, forgetting about Hermione.

"He'll meet me tonight after dinner," Mel squirmed in her place, excited. "Can't wait!"

* * *

"Do you have any idea of what he'll be teaching us for our first class?" Hermione asked her anxiously. 

Mel had told them (in utter secrecy) that Professor Lupin was sort of related to her, she didn't have to, but Ron and Hermione were her best friends along with Harry, and she wanted to be honest. 

"I haven't talked to him since our first day," She tilted her head, "but I haven't heard bad things about him, so I trust he'll be good."

Professor Lupin entered the room just then, looking way better than the first night.

"Good afternoon," He said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands." 

The kids shared curious and excited looks as they obliged, wondering what the man may be planning. Once they were ready he glanced around and nodded.

"Right then, if you'd follow me." 

_Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum._

_Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song._

_"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —"_

_Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling._

_"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms." Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry._

_Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand._

_"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."_

_He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves._

_With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing._

_"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement._

_"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"_

She'd only seen him do magic once or twice during her summer, but it was all domestic, little spells. This demonstration was the first thing Mel witnessed on her uncle's abilities, and she was intrigued, to say the least.

They stopped outside the staffroom and their Professor invited them in, they found Snape sitting in one of the armchairs, however, he stood up to leave.

"Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." 

Mel scowled at the man in front of her, she couldn't believe that such a nasty person could teach at school. Professor Lupin didn't miss a beat.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably." 

_"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall._

_"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."_

_Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively._

_"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice._

_"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?"_

_Hermione put up her hand._

_"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."_

_"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears._

_"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"_

"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?" Her friend offered.

"Precisely. It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening. The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please . . . _riddikulus!"_

"Riddikulus!" 

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville." 

The boy -quite bravely, if Mel would say so- stepped forward, trembling from head to toe.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

He mumbled out something, but no one could hear.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," Professor Lupin replied, smiling politely. 

"Professor Snape."

All the kids laughed, however, their Professor only nodded, deep in thought.

"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er — yes. But — I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me. I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

"Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?" 

"Yes?"

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry _'Riddikulus'_ — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag." 

"Oooh!" Mel exclaimed in her place, she couldn't wait to see that. And judging by the chuckles and nervous smiles of her classmates, neither could them.

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..." 

Mel froze. 

What was she afraid of?

The dark, perhaps- No, she didn't mind waking up at night and walking alone to the toilet. Insects? No... they were small, weak things. They couldn't hurt her...

_Hurt._

She knew a thing or two about pain, there were worse things than spiders or ladies in white nightgowns and black, dirty hair. There are murderers, and death.

Death. Not hers... _around_ her.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.

She heard the rest of the students mumbling an agreement.

_"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"_

_They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready._

_"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three — now!"_

_A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville._

_Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes._

_"R — r — riddikulus!" squeaked Neville._

_There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag._

_There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"_

_Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a blood-stained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —_

_"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati._

_A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off._

_"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin._

_Seamus darted past Parvati._

There she stood as the rest of the class faced their fears, and it was one of the funniest things she'd ever seen. The energy in the room was simply so full of life... And then it was her turn.

She stood above Dean's fear -a severed hand- and waited.

_**Crack!** _

Her mother laid dead on the floor- **_Crack!_** Dumbledore's corpse was in front of her- _**Crack!** _Ron's body- _**Crack!** _ Hermione-

It changed so fast that she couldn't focus on what she was supposed to say.

 _'Say it!'_ She begged to herself, _'Say it before it turns into your uncle! Say it!'_

_Riddikulus. Riddikulus. Riddikulus..._

_**Crack!**_

Harry's eyes were staring right at her, eyes wide open in fear, but lifeless.

_RIDDIKULUS!_

_**ZAP!**_

Dashing blue sparks blew out of her wand and, with no warning, the boggart fell back at her feet, this time as a rubber duck.

Professor Lupin exclaimed with wide eyes, "Miss Dumbledore... you know _non-verbal_ spells?"

"I don't..." She was so shocked about her actions that her panic sounded like utter calmness, her eyes fixed on the duck.

"Outstanding..." Her uncle said with a strange glint in his eyes.

Mel stepped back, holding her wand tightly with both hands.

* * *

Harry and Mel were quite uneasy after class, the former because their Professor tackled his chance with the boggart with no explanation, and her because, well, it was never easy to see your loved ones _dead_.

Almost all of the class had left the classroom happy and talkative, but whenever their eyes landed on her they'd go pale, not daring to talk about what they'd seen.

She understood, of course. They saw Dumbledore and several of their classmates' bodies, it wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes. She didn't know how dark her mind could go until the boggart showed it. She got up from the Gryffindor table until most of the students were gone, Dumbledore was waiting for her at the entrance, ready for their first lesson.

"Good evening," He said gently. "Follow me, please."

She didn't speak until Dumbledore mentioned her Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.

"Professor Lupin had the kindness to let me know that today you managed to do a non-verbal spell," He started. "Are you aware of its meaning?"

"No," She said shortly. "I'm aware that it can't be normal."

"We teach non-verbal spells to our students, most are quite capable by the time they turn sixteen," there was something else to what he was saying, "But it's a difficult thing to accomplish being so young... how old are you, if I can ask?"

"Thirteen," She mumbled, and before she could stop herself she added, "I got scared! I tried to say it but I'd never seen it so... so _real_. I'm sorry-"

"What you did is nothing to be sorry, my dear girl," Dumbledore smiled, "your mind focused on the spell you needed and your wand did it for you. You might feel that it was completely unplanned, but I believe you're improving."

"You really think so?" She asked.

"I assume you read the books I gave you this summer," The man stopped in front of a Gargoyle statue, looked right at it and said, "Butterbeer."

The statue moved and revealed a set of stairs, Dumbledore signaled her to go through and she obeyed. Her thoughts were soon cut short when she came face to face with a large, wooden door. Dumbledore stepped forward and opened it, he turned to smile kindly at her and say, _'Come in_ ' before closing the door behind both of them.

She remembered Harry describing a little how the office looked, he'd been sent there last year, when people thought he was the one causing the attacks on Muggleborns. The room was welcoming and warm, full of strange objects and books that she wanted to examine more carefully. However, she was there for a reason, and they needed to start right away.

She spotted Fawkes next to the desk and her heart jumped with happiness, she was quite fond of him. Fawkes flew swiftly across the room and landed on her shoulder, gently stroking her cheek with his head.

"I have taken the liberty to ask the staff what are their thoughts on your progress as a student," Dumbledore mentioned as he walked towards a closet. "Most of them think you're promising and have no complaints..."

"Most of them?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Professor Snape, I think, holds his expectations high," Dumbledore smiled. "Do not take it as an insult, even him can be convinced of your abilities."

"Doubt it," She said under her breath, lovingly patting Fawkes.

"Please take a seat," Dumbledore pointed to the chair in front of his.

As she sat down, Fawkes went back to his place behind Dumbledore's chair.

"Tonight I want to work with your intuition," Dumbledore put two small boxes in front of her, "I think you know Professor Trelawney?"

"Yes," Mel tried to remain neutral. "I've assisted to her class."

"Very well. What I want you to do is something similar to what she asks, I want you to clear your head and feel- not think- _feel_ , whatever these boxes may contain."

"I'm not a _seer,"_ She said quickly, having the bad feeling that she was about to fail her first lesson.

"It is not Divination," The old man soon calmed her, "it can be perceived as the same, but you won't use your mind for this bit, you'll be using your attraction to the power these boxes hold inside, and what kind of emotions you perceive."

"Oh," She frowned, unsure. "Okay, then."

"Take one of the boxes," Mel chose the one on the left, "and close your eyes, let the magic you own and the one in the box meet, take as much time as you need."

Now was not the time to let fear take the best of her, she was there to learn and she was going to learn. She took a deep breath, and sank in the loneliness of the dark behind her eyelids.

Mel knew that if she kept counting the seconds the stress would block the purpose, so she forgot about it. It could be two, three hours... she wasn't leaving that office without any results.

Then she felt it: a hard tug on her stomach and suddenly she recognized the energy, even if she hadn't seen, or heard it before. It seeped through her, blinding her for just a moment.

 _Light._ Whatever it was inside that box was created to keep light and share it with its surroundings. She knew it, and so she told her great-uncle.

When she opened her eyes he was smiling at her.

"May I?" He pointed to the box, and she handed it over.

She blinked a few times, her eyes getting used to the illuminated room.

Dumbledore opened it and pulled out what looked like a lighter.

"This is a deluminator," He offered it back for her to hold, "it can take the sources of light from the room-"

As he explained this, Mel actioned it and suddenly they were sitting in the middle of a dark room, all the lights immediately flying to it.

"Oops," She said quietly.

She heard a low chuckle, and Dumbledore's hand gently reaching for the deluminator.

"However, it can also give it back," A soft click was heard, and the lights returned to their rightful place. "And in some cases, it can light one's path, clarify the way towards a big decision."

Mel nodded, then her hands reached the last box.

"Should I?"

Dumbledore's eyes shone in the candlelight, he had both hands in front of his face, as if he was pondering her answer, perhaps doubting her, though she didn't know why.

"Your fear..." Dumbledore replied, "you're allowed to not answer my next question if you don't wish to explain yourself... Has it always been death?"

Mel was taken by surprise, but she didn't think it was hard to answer.

"I don't think so," She played with the edge of her robes, "I don't remember having nightmares about it as a kid, not even about my dad... I think it started when, uh- well, after my first year here."

Dumbledore remained silent. Processing her answer, he nodded once.

"Harry and you have shared your own amount of adventures, and most of them had been nerve-wracking. I also know you want to protect your loved ones, you have that in common with your parents."

Mel waited for him to continue, his mind somewhere else.

"Ardent tempter, both of them. Emily wasn't patient with unkind behavior, even if she wasn't a saint herself during her school years. Matthew, on the other hand, picked his battles carefully– I believe he was pressured to do so, our family had its own fame, known for taking a few bad decisions from time to time... He tried to step away from it, to be perceived differently... I'm proud to say he succeeded."

"Sir?" Mel asked shyly. "Are you... Do you think I won't?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"Not at all, Mel. I believe you'll become something bigger than any of us ever could. Not a lot of people know this, but the women in our family have always been stronger than any men. Unfortunately, they're also more sensitive. Dumbledore women are bound to be the ones with big sacrifices in life, but also the ones with brighter minds and stronger wills. I believe that you've inherited their power, as much as their disposal to use it for others, or in the least, to protect others with it."

That was a massive piece of information.

"I think that your fear isn't death, but to fail on what you've decided to do, which is to protect your family and keep them safe. Believe me when I tell you, dear girl, that if you follow these lessons, you won't."

Finally, a clear answer to the question she feared most. She looked down at the untouched box and held it with determination. It took her less time than expected, only because she knew exactly what it was as soon as her magic and the one inside the box mixed together.

She hated it. Not the feeling, no. She _loathed_ the object inside, and the hatred was mutual somehow- it filled her with anguish and a bitter taste in her tongue, its magic was dark, _lethal._

"Riddle's diary," She stated, her hands shaking under the weight of its energy.

She put the box on the table, as far as she could from her body.

She recognized the feeling because she'd held the book once or twice last year. Of course, last year she wasn't paying much attention, but that night, with her radar all the way up like a radio finding the clearest station, it felt contaminating, blistering to the touch.

Dumbledore didn't bother to open the box. His expression, while serious, reflected triumph.

"That's all for today." He replied calmly. 


	8. Uncle Lupin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Professor Lupin, however, was the newest sensation. Almost every student loved his classes and respected him, little did it matter if his robes weren't new or he wasn't conventionally attractive, the students loved him, and Mel was ever so proud.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new chapter! Sorry it took so long -Danny

Mel had barely set a foot inside the common room when Harry appeared.

"How did it go?" He asked, in a way he'd never done it before, almost as if she'd returned from being seriously ill.

"Good," She said casually. "He wanted to start with my intuition, so-"

"I need to talk to you," He cut her off, dragging her to the nearest corner.

Harry guided her towards an empty table and sat down, Mel sat next to him.

"What's the matter?"

He wasn't looking at her, Harry's mind tended to be... Merlin knows where! But it was different this time. He wasn't distracted, he was terribly _uncomfortable_.

"It's uh-" He cleared his throat, shifting on his seat. "Your boggart..."

Mel had forgotten that the entire class (including Harry) had seen the dead bodies of her loved ones. She didn't stop to think how it may have felt for Harry to watch his own corpse.

"Oh, crap..." The girl mumbled, cheeks turning red.

"I'm sorry–"

"I'm so sorry!"

They stared at each other in confusion.

"Why are you sorry?" They asked at the same time.

Both kids blinked, then Mel laughed shyly. 

"Why are you sorry, Glasses?" She repeated.

"It's my fault," He grimaced. "I never stopped to think about how you felt, I just dragged you along every time-"

"Harry..."

"-And they weren't stupid little accidents- No, you almost died in every single one of them," Harry rambled on, his panic rising, "I shouldn't have asked you to help-"

"Harry!" He stopped and stared at her. "All the things we've done... I knew they wouldn't be fun, or easy. I did it cause it was the right thing. No offense, but you did try to stop me once and that didn't work, did it?"

"I..." He frowned, leaning back on his chair. "No..?"

"If anything-" She added, her fingertips drawing patterns on the table's surface, "I should be the one who's sorry... this year isn't exactly all good news. I can't even imagine how it'd be to have a murderer following me around. I was too slow, I tried to do the spell but I just- I couldn't speak, the bodies were all so..."

"I understand," Harry's eyes were following her fingers, "but in the end, you did a non-verbal spell. Hermione said that was advanced magic... did the twins teach you how to do that?"

"Fred and George?" Mel snorted. "They don't know I can do that. _I_ didn't know I could that!"

His silence felt strange, maybe he wanted to say something else, Mel could feel it. Perhaps it was her intuition, or maybe the way he distractedly mimicked her hand's movements, and frowned at nothing gave it away.

"Glasses," She called. "What're you thinking?"

Harry glanced at her before slumping further on his chair, sighing.

"Professor Lupin didn't let me face the boggart."

"'Mione didn't do it either..."

"It wasn't like that," Harry shook his head. "The boggart was right at my feet and Lupin called it over, he didn't let me try. Perhaps-"

The boy stopped and shook his head. Mel leaned over and faintly touched his hand, catching his attention.

"You think he didn't let you face the boggart because you're weak?" Harry's frown deepened, he barely nodded, but that was all she needed. "I'm sure he had a good reason, it may have nothing to do with your skills- which, in all cases, are beyond extraordinary– and this is coming from someone who's taking extra lessons with Dumbledore!"

Her friend smiled.

"I bet you'll be the best of our year once we graduate," He replied, "and then when we're older you'll be Hogwarts' Headmaster-"

"Glasses," She tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. "About that... I need to tell you something."

"Tell me," Harry tilted his head innocently.

"What I saw in the mirror–"

"Mel!" Fred put a hand on her shoulder and sat cheerfully on her left. "Is it true that you had your first lesson with Dumbledore?"

"You know you've got to tell us," George sat next to Harry.

She blinked in surprise, her thoughts suddenly interrupted. Harry looked at the boys with a little bit of exasperation.

"I'll go to bed," He said dryly, "have a good night..."

"Goodnight!" The twins replied.

"'Night," She mumbled.

* * *

A month after her first week her classes hadn't changed much– which was both, good and bad. She was on her period _again_ , though. That was quite the downhill.

Trelawney kept looking at Harry like he was already dead, Hagrid lost his cheerful energy and was now giving one of the most boring classes of all time and Snape was a twat, but that wasn't new. Professor Lupin, however, was the newest sensation. Almost every student loved his classes and respected him, little did it matter if his robes weren't new or he wasn't conventionally attractive, the students loved him, and Mel was ever so proud.

Although, something was nagging at the back of her mind. A whole month had passed and she'd yet to talk with Erick about their encounter in the Great Hall.

The opportunity came one week into October. Harry was at Quidditch practice and Ron and Hermione were planning to finish their assignments back in the tower, she'd finished them earlier, of course. She was the first one to finish now that Hermione had a lot more classes than her.

Mel considered taking a nap or paying a little visit to Hagrid when a piece of paper landed on top of her empty plate. There was no mail during lunch hours, so she stared at it not knowing what it was until her brain clicked and she picked it up to read it.

_**'Library?'** _

She knew who it was right away, looking up from the little piece of parchment and finding Erick's eyes, she nodded shortly.

"I'm going to the library," She announced. "Dumbledore's assignment. I have to read a few books before our next lesson..."

"Are you going to meet your study partner there?" Hermione asked with a knowing look.

"Perhaps," She replied. "Now that I'm taking advanced lessons with Dumbledore I think I need an older student to help me."

"Better if he's a Ravenclaw," Ron pointed out distractedly. 

"Exactly," Mel smiled.

She got up from her chair and kept going until she was standing right outside the library. She heard the distant sound of steps down the hall and decided to go in. The girl found their usual spot at the back and sat quietly, she waited until Erick appeared around the corner, an easy-going smile dancing on his face.

"Hello," She said casually.

"'Afternoon," He retorted and sat in front of her.

She understood what was different now. The short answer: Erick had _grown_.

He was fourteen years old now, and he wasn't looking as small as he used to. His hair was cut shorter and neatly, curls landing softly against the edge of his forehead. There was something else missing, for some reason, Erick carried himself differently, with more confidence– Merlin, even his smile was brighter! The boy was older and yet, somehow, he looked younger than before.

"You cut your hair," She clumsily pointed out. Erick chuckled.

"Good observation. My mother cut it, she said I was _'starting to look like a scoundrel' ..._ "

"And what did you tell her?"

"I just let her cut it, I didn't mind."

"I think it suits you," She concluded. "More than the other style, if you ask me. Long hair isn't for you."

His eyes showed amusement, but he only gave her a small smile.

"I made the right choice, then."

"You seem happy," Mel tilted her head. "Is there anything you want to share?"

"I _am_ in a good mood," He admitted. "I decided to follow your advice, the one from your letter."

"Which one? I sent a lot, and that was two months ago..."

"I'm offended!" Erick replied, supporting both arms on the table. "Our conversations matter that little to you?"

Mel was about to apologize when she saw his smirk growing wider.

"What has gotten into you?" She asked instead, a confused smile on her lips.

"I sent her a letter," He let out excitedly.

"You sent..." She stopped, finally understanding, "oh... _OH!"_

He raised his hand and signaled her to lower her voice.

"You sent her a letter?!" She whispered eagerly. "How? When?"

"Two weeks before the end of the summer," The boy explained proudly. "I waited until it was around midnight– I know the owl goes out for food and my parents wouldn't notice if she's not home..."

"But she's a muggle, it didn't take her by surprise to see an owl standing at the edge of her window?"

"That's the other reason why I sent it during night time. I'm not planning on just sending a letter to her saying _'Hi, I'm a wizard'_ cause that would ruin all my chances. The letter was left at her doorstep for her or her parents to find."

"How was she supposed to reply, then?" Mel frowned.

Erick was ever so pleased with her questions, she could tell he'd been dying to talk about it with her for a long time.

"You remember how I met her?"

"Yes..."

"Well, it's been three years and I'm fairly certain that my parents think I'm over it– or in the very least, they think she forgot about me. They allow me to spend some time outside the house now– Oh! I forgot to tell you a key part of the story–"

"I'd never seen you so excited about something," She grinned. "So talkative, it's a nice change to be the calmed one..."

"Bugger off," He rolled his eyes. "As I was saying... this is my brother's last year here at Hogwarts, after that, he'll leave and if he's lucky some Quidditch team will hire him even if he's really not that bright for anything besides stopping bludgers with the head– or he'll start working in the Ministry, and soon enough he'll be his own man and all, and he'll move away..."

"Which means?"

"My parents want me to do stuff outside the house," He said, leaning further on the table. "Run some errands while my father's at work and my Mum... it's somewhere else, I dunno– We have a house-elf that does all the housework."

"I see," Mel mirrored his movements. "So you asked her to meet you in town?"

"Not exactly," He squinted, "even if my parents sort of trust me, I can't risk it. I sent the letter and told her to leave her reply (if she wanted to reply, that is) where the path splits in two, under the bush with purple little flowers."

"And she did?" Mel held her breath, waiting for the answer.

Erick leaned back on his chair as his hand slowly reached for his pocket. He pulled out three letters with the biggest smile.

"No way!" She exclaimed loudly.

"Lower your voice!" He insisted, though his smile remained the same.

"Can you tell me one little thing? Just one?"

"About what they say?"

"Yes!"

"You can read the first one if you want, it's all formal and simple," He shrugged.

Mel took it with extreme caution, unfolding the paper and reading it in silence.

_**'Dear neighbor,** _

_**Of course I remember you! Although, I'm surprised to hear from you. It's been a while, still, your family's the only one living nearest my home, how could I forget?** _

_**I understand the thing about your parents not trusting strangers, my parents are the same but they didn't take it so far as to send me to a private school! It must be so fancy, please tell me more about it!** _

_**I'm sorry if I caused trouble when I wandered around. I wanted to meet the neighbors from the big, mysterious house, I thought that I could find you again if I kept coming back but after a month I lost all hope.** _

_**I'm glad to see you haven't vanished from existence and I'd love to keep writing these throughout summer (I suppose private schools must be very strict and leave you a lot of homework, so I don't want to be a distraction).** _

_**Your very curious neighbor,** _

_**Anne'** _

"This is so romantic," Mel beamed, folding the letter and looking at her friend. Erick blushed.

"Romantic?" He stammered. "She- She was just apologizing!"

"I didn't mean the letter in particular," Mel brushed it off. "I mean the situation: You and Anne, talking to each other through secret letters, it's so lovely!"

"You've read too many fairytales."

"You can't deny this feels like one!"

"I dunno," Erick shrugged, "it feels dangerous."

"This is good," Mel insisted. "Soon your brother will graduate and you'll have more freedom, maybe you'll be able to send her letters from school!"

"Doubt that," He scoffed. "My friends are really nosy... Sorry about Faustus, by the way, he's a dog."

"Sorry about Harry," She smiled shyly.

"He had a good reason to react like that," Erick smirked. "After all, it was _you_ who was insulted."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have you told him about your feelings?"

"What?" She looked around to make sure no one was around, though she already knew. "How- He doesn't– I don't have to!"

Her friend chuckled, carefully putting the letters back in his pocket.

"Right, I forgot you think he doesn't like you like that."

"I don't think, I _know_." Erick raised a brow, he didn't believe her.

"Listen, all I know is that the brief second Harry Potter stood in front of me and my friends trying to fight someone who's a foot taller just because he insulted you, I saw something else than just platonic chivalry..."

"Sure," Mel rolled her eyes. "You don't know Harry like I do, alright? He's like that with all his friends, he cares about everyone."

"I think you're not paying enough attention," He stood up."We should celebrate my improvement, though. This is your third year, that means you can go to Hogsmeade with me, right?"

Mel wanted to say that she didn't know if she was visiting Hogsmeade this year cause Harry wasn't allowed to leave the castle, but she figured that'd only increased his teasing, so she just shrugged.

"We'll see if your friends allow it."

"I have my ways," He said playfully, turning around to leave.

* * *

"I'm not going."

"Mel-"

"Look, Glasses," She closed the book she was reading. "You can try to convince me to go without you until you lose your voice, or you can simply accept that I'm staying with you."

Harry seemed upset, but he didn't argue further.

"I don't mind," Mel assured him. "Hogsmeade might be good, but it means nothing if we're not making the memories together."

Harry went red, lost of words.

"If... If you really think it's not a big deal..."

"I do," She smiled warmly, "we could walk around the castle, get familiar with halls we haven't gone through yet."

"Yeah... great."

Harry and Mel were wishing safe travel to Ron and Hermione before they left for their first trip to Hogsmeade. Erick walked past with his usual group of friends and threw a knowing smirk her way which she chose to ignore, she wouldn't hear the end of it during their next reunion.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, a few people away. "Scared of passing the dementors?"

"Don't even bother," Mel held onto his arm and guided them upstairs towards the common room.

"Password?" said the Fat Lady, waking up from her little nap.

"Fortuna Major," said Harry gloomily.

Mel felt terribly sorry for her friend, but she didn't know what to do cheer him up.

"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry! Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey" — Colin Creevey called from a few seats ahead– "you can come and sit with us, if you like!"

"Er — no, thanks, Colin," Harry, glanced at Mel as if looking for support. "I — We've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."

Mel frowned, surely there were better excuses than the one he'd said, but before she could think of something better Harry was already walking back to the painting.

"What was the point waking me up?" the Fat Lady asked them with a sleepy groan.

"You know," She finally spoke after a while of walking around. "We could go to the grounds and sit near the lake, the weather's a bit cold but still lovely."

Harry was about to reply when Filch appeared right in front of them.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled.

"Nothing," said Harry.

"Nothing!" He hissed. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own — why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

Harry made a slight movement with his shoulders as Mel explained that they had chosen to stay.

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" He yelled at them and stood like a statue until Harry and Mel disappeared around the corner.

"One would think it's forbidden to just take a walk around the place," Mel scoffed.

"Let's go visit Hedwig," He said suddenly, "I haven't seen her in a while." The girl agreed, and soon both kids were going through an empty hall talking a bit more enthusiastically than before.

"Harry?" A voice called from a door on their left. Both kids stopped and turned.

Professor Lupin was leaning against his door, looking at them with curiosity.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a much more polite manner than Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," said Harry.

"Ah," He glanced between both children. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson." 

"A what?" They asked in unison and followed the man inside his office.

_In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers._

_"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."_

_The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner._

"Amazing," Replied Mel, inching closer to the tank to catch another glimpse of the creature.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said. "I was just thinking of making one."

"All right," said Harry behind her.

"I would love some tea, uncl- uh, Professor," She quickly corrected.

The man touched the kettle with the tip of his wand, immediately causing steam to fly out of it.

"Mel, stop teasing the Grindylow or he'll be extremely keen to tease back when your class arrives. Sit down," said Lupin, bringing to his desk a tin and offering something to Harry. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?" 

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked in a surprised voice.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

"We're used to hearing bad things will happen," Mel shrugged, taking her mug with a soft _'thank you.'_

"Anything worrying you, Harry?" Lupin insisted, staring intently at the boy.

"No," Harry looked away towards the tank and took a sip of his tea. "Yes. You know that day we fought the boggart?"

The boy left his mug on top of Lupin's desk.

"Yes," said Professor Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" Harry asked, quite upset.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

"Why?" he said again.

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." 

Mel choked on her tea.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry but offering a napkin to her. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I — I remembered those dementors."

She was the worst friend in the world. Harry had been there for her, asking about her fear and apologizing even though he didn't have to and she didn't even bother to ask what his fear was, if he needed someone to talk about it.

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed. That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry." 

"I'm sorry," Mel said suddenly, "I never asked what your... I should have..."

"It's okay," Harry said lowly, his face practically buried in his mug.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" asked Lupin.

"Well... yeah," said Harry, and it was a relief to notice his demeanor had shifted to a more cheerful tone. "Professor Lupin, you know the dementors —"

A knock on the door interrupted their chat.

"Come in," said Lupin calmly.

Snape walked in holding a smoking goblet. He stopped short when he noticed the kids sitting in front of Lupin.

"Ah, Severus. Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me? I was just showing Harry and Mel my grindylow," Lupin pointed at the tank.

"Fascinating. You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," said Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldronful, if you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," said Snape, leaving the room just as quick.

Mel was staring at the goblet in front of her with reluctance.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me, I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex... Pity sugar makes it useless," he took a sip and grimaced at the taste.

Mel didn't speak, she had a bad feeling about it.

"Why — ?" Harry began.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color." He replied, confirming her suspicions. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

"You haven't gotten any better?" Mel asked, sounding so defeated that Lupin reached for her hand and patted it gently.

"It's alright, Mel. It comes and goes, I'll be better in no time."

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," Harry blurted out in panic.

"Really?" Lupin took another sip. 

Mel wasn't paying much attention to why Harry was so terrified all of a sudden, her mind was fixed on one thought: _'He's sick again. He's sick. He's sick.'_ And wondered (with terrible dread) if this time would be the last.

"Some people reckon —" Harry continued at some far corner away from her thinking, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Mel tried to memorize the color and consistency of the potion before Lupin drank it. That way perhaps, she'd be able to figure out what kind of sickness had her uncle in such a bad state.

"Disgusting," Lupin groaned. "Well, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later."

"Right," said Harry. 

"Right," Mel stood up, completely ignoring her half-full mug on the table. "Get... get well, uncle Lu."

Lupin looked up to her, noticing she'd use the usual name instead of the formal _'Professor'_. Whether he thought that was right or not, he didn't comment on it.


	9. Bad News.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'He glanced at Mel and she nodded, so Harry told them all about Snape and the strange goblet.'

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

The boy poured a whole bag of candy onto their laps, all of different, bright colors.

"Thanks," said Harry, starting to dig through the sweets. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

The list seemed endless, Mel knew it wasn't important cause she'd have other visits, but she couldn't help feeling a bit jealous about missing the fun.

"What did you do?" said Hermione. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made us a cup of tea in his office..."

He glanced at Mel and she nodded, so Harry told them all about Snape and the strange goblet.

"Lupin drank it?" Ron gawked. "Is he mad?"

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes..." 

They got up from their seats (not without filling their pockets with candy first) and walked out the tower through the portrait.

"But if he — you know" Hermione continued in a whisper, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry and Mel." 

"Yeah, maybe..."

"I think Hermione's right," Mel agreed, trying not to think too much about it, "I know that my uncle has been sick for a long time anyway, since I was a baby. Maybe it got worse and..."

Her voice quivered, too affected by the chances of his uncle not improving by the end of year.

"Dumbledore probably told Snape about his condition," Harry put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly, "maybe he said the truth, the potion is too complicated and expensive and that's why he never tried it when he was unemployed. He'll get better before you know it."

Mel swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

"I hope so..."

He did look better during the feast, he ate and talked cheerfully, not once looking as if he was ill. Mel made a mental note about asking her mother if she knew anything about her uncle's condition, she thought it was time to get more involved, she wasn't so small now.

Mel ate a lot, it was more about her anxiety than actual hunger. When she found it in herself to stop, it was only because her stomach was sort of hurting. In the end, they walked back to their tower and passed Malfoy's usual teasing without paying attention, looking forward to a good night of sleep. 

"Lady!" Fred approached her holding a paper bag. "We got you stuff from Zonko's, Ron told us you decided to stay"

"I decided to stay with Harry," She explained, "but did you bring me something just to be nice or are you expecting me to use it to cause distractions while you do mischief?"

"S'up to you," He smirked. "Although, you should keep in mind that these are gifts and it'd be selfish if you use them for your own needs."

"Keep them, you'll have a better use for it-" She stopped, suddenly realizing something. "Wait! Come here..."

Mel grabbed his arm and dragged him to the side of the marble staircase.

"You have something that can help Harry," She said, lowering her voice so only Fred could hear her.

"A brain?" He snickered.

"Don't be rude!" She slapped his chest (it was easier than trying to hit his head). "That map you showed me during my first year– What was it? The mar-"

"Shhh!" Fred looked around with caution. "What, you want us to just give it away?"

"You don't need it now!" Mel frowned. "You know every secret passageway by heart and this is your fifth year, soon you'll be out of here and that map will mean nothing!"

"That map's the reason we don't get caught!" He gawked. "You know it doesn't just show the passageways, the people in it-"

"I know!" She cut his speech. "Fred, I know how careful you are about it, I know it's important for you two- but Harry... he needs this."

Fred raised a brow.

"He needs to risk his life out in public for a murderer to find him?"

"No one's seen Black in Hogsmeade!"

"We can't be sure."

Mel glared at the boy, but he didn't flinch in the slightest.

"You know I'm right, lady."

She huffed, letting her arms fall to her sides.

"Yeah, I do. I just... today was rough."

"I bet," Fred smiled awkwardly, perhaps he could feel that she wasn't in the mood for bad news and he'd just delivered another one. "Let's go..."

They arrived at the stairs almost at the same time that the rest of her friends, she thought they would be in bed, however, something was stopping them from getting into their common room.

"What's going on?" She asked Hermione as they approached.

"Let me through, please," She heard Percy's voice. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"

And then everyone went silent. Mel's intuition, as Dumbledore called it, spiked up as soon as it happened, her senses heightened after their last lesson.

"Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick." Percy said in a very high-pitched voice.

"What's going on?" asked Ginny.

_"Fear,_ " Mel replied, saying the word like it belonged in someone else's mouth. "Someone is really, _really_ scared."

Professor Dumbledore walked up the stairs, the kids followed closely so they could get a better view.

"Oh, my —" Hermione stepped back in horror.

Someone had ripped apart the Fat Lady's portrait, it was so aggressively torn, that the question of whether if paintings could die or not passed through her mind. Dumbledore turned to the teachers that had followed him and spoke up.

"We need to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" Peeves was ever so pleased with the fuss.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" asked Dumbledore.

The Poltergeist immediately acquired a fake seriousness to tell the tale.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful... Poor thing." 

"Did she say who did it?" The man insisted.

_"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."_

* * *

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told all the students reunited in the Great Hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he looked at Percy. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

  
Dumbledore waved his wand and the floor got covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, before leaving the room.

Someone dragged Mel to a corner away from her friends, at that point she knew who it was even before looking at him.

"You've got to stop doing that!" She rubbed her arm. "I don't like being tugged around!"

"What's going on?" Erick frowned. 

"The Fat Lady said Sirius Black attacked her."

"Sirius Black?" He widened his eyes. "That can't be!"

"That's what she said, I don't know!"

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Both kids looked at each other, Erick sighed.

"I hope she's just hallucinating."

"Go to sleep, we'll talk later."

She turned around, only to be met with Ron standing right behind her.

"Uh-oh," She gulped. 

Her friend was bright red and staring at Erick's head, that was unknowingly walking away from them, not noticing that Ron had seen them.

"I was looking for you," He said in a tense voice. "We're taking our bags back there... and... yes."

"Is it a bad moment to ask you how long have you been there?"

Ron's cold eyes were enough to answer her question.

"How come you're so friendly with a snake?" He retorted sharply.

"He's not-"

"That's the boy with the nasty friends!" He pointed towards Erick. 

"It's been two years!" She blurted out.

"What?"

"He's been my friend since our first year," She crossed her arms in a challenging manner. "He's... He's my study partner."

_"HE'S YOUR STUDY PART-"_

Mel pulled him down by the collar of his robe and covered his mouth, he was catching people's attention.

"Shut up and listen!" She hissed. " I know he doesn't have the best friends, but I trust him!"

_"Hmph!"_ Ron's frown deepened, her hand still covering his mouth.

"How do I know?!" She whispered angrily. "First of all, it was Erick who gave me Slytherin's password– he got rid of Pansy– he got me her hair in the first place!"

Ron's eyes shifted from anger to confusion.

_"Hmph?"_

"He came to me during our first year." She explained. "It's... a long story. Please, don't be mad."

Percy's voice shouting _'Five minutes!'_ brought them back. He nodded lightly and she dropped her hand, waiting for his lecture.

"...Slytherins aren't nice," Ron said cautiously.

"He's getting something in return, if that's what you mean," Mel raised a brow. "But it's none of your business."

Ron gawked at her. 

"He could be taking advantage of you! You can't... this acquaintance-thing..."

"I can and I will!" She argued back. "And you can't tell Harry!"

_"WHAT?"_

"Two minutes!"

She gave him one last warning look before moving towards the rest of the group.

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry and Hermione once they arrived, glancing at Mel. "Before Percy loses his mind..."

They took four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

_"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously._

_"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron._

_"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower..."_

_"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."_

_Hermione shuddered._

_All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"_

_"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."_

_"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year._

_"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas._

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione to Harry, Mel, and Ron.

"Probably. Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered..."

"The lights are going out now!" Percy yelled. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!" 

The room went dark, Mel hid deeper in her bag and accidentally kicked the person next to her.

"Ouch!" 

"Sorry, Glasses!" She whispered, turning around to see his dimly lit face.

"S'alright," He mumbled, though she could see him discretely rubbing the place she'd hit. "You're okay? I saw you arguing with Ron..."

"What? Oh!" She cleared her throat, trying to be as quiet as possible. "No no, he just- uh, I was a little on the edge, I suppose. Nothing to worry about– What about you? Are you okay?"

"...yes"

She tried to find his eyes in the middle of the shadows.

"You're sure?" She insisted. "I... I'm glad nothing happened."

She carefully reached out of her bag and searched in the dark until she felt his hand. Harry squeezed gently, a low sigh coming out of his lips before telling her goodnight and trying to sleep.

But hours passed and they were unable to rest, every time someone walked through the door they'd perk up in their place and pay attention to the voices. Around three in the morning, Dumbledore arrived at the Hall, near to where their bags were. Shortly after Snape joined in.

"Headmaster? The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched..."

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?"

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" 

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore.

"It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it. I must go down to the dementors, I said I would inform them when our search was complete." 

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" asked Percy.

"Oh yes. But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

* * *

"Aim steady," Dumbledore walked around her. "If your mind isn't seeing it clearly, your hands won't do it."

  
"Sorry," Mel huffed, eyes narrowed in concentration, "can I ask why're you teaching me wandless magic?"

"Many people believe that wands are our perfect match and control our abilities. For some, however, wands can be an impediment."

"That being me?"

"We'll see," Dumbledore smiled. "I want you to focus, try again."

Mel stared at the empty cup in front of her, even if she knew she had magic in her, even knowing she was studying to be a competent witch, there was a part of her that felt impossible what Dumbledore asked her to do.

She reminded herself: _If I can do this, I can do anything._ She took three deep breaths and felt the familiar tug at the base of her stomach. 

_'Closer!'_ She thought shortly, yet demanding. _'Accio!'_

The glass slided through the table and onto her hand. She gasped, holding it tightly.

"You saw that?" She asked excitedly.

Dumbledore's smile widened.

"Let's try again."

* * *

Professor Lupin didn't assist to the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson before the first Quidditch match of the year. Snape gladly took his place and had a very pleasing moment when Harry arrived ten minutes late and took fifteen points from Gryffindor.

  
Mel had her eyes fixed on her book, reminding herself that her uncle was alright, he was just feeling a bit weak. The weather had been quite awful the entire week, maybe it had to do with that– Her mum's letter hadn't arrived yet, so she was yet to know what was the problem with her uncle.

_"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"_

_"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"_

_"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."_

_"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever._

_"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss..._ _werewolves," said Snape._

Mel looked up from her worried daydreams, she was sure there were a few other lessons before that, just as Hermione hurried to point out afterward.

_"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks —"_

_"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"_

_With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books._

_"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape._

_Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air._

_"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"_

_"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on —"_

_"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are. . ."_

_"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"_

_"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."_

_Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"_

_"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."_

_No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin._

Mel buried her face in the book and read the whole chapter, her mind still buzzing about all the things she wanted to say to that man. Hermione was crying quietly beside her, Mel reached for her hand and stroke it gently, telling her it was all right. As she advanced on her reading, however, she started to drift again.

**_'Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf, whether in human or animal form, will leave permanent scars. However, the fresh wound can be sealed with a mixture of powdered silver and dittany.'_ **

Maybe it was because her uncle was permanently present in her mind now, but the reading made her think of the scars spread across his face and arms, and how reluctant he was to tell the story behind them. 

It was funny, she seemed to remember how, after a nasty relapse, uncle Lupin always seemed to have new cuts. He always said it was because of how clumsy he gets thanks to the medicine, but the cuts were always deep, or too many to be just accidents... did his disease blocked his nervous system somehow? He couldn't feel whenever he got hurt?

**'** _**The many Muggle myths and legends surrounding werewolves are, in the main, false, although some contain nuggets of truth. Silver bullets do not kill werewolves, but a mixture of powdered silver and dittany applied to a fresh bite will 'seal' the wound and prevent the victim bleeding to death (although tragic tales are told of victims who beg to be allowed to die rather than to live on as werewolves).** _

**_Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for Lycanthropy. However, some of the worst effects can be mitigated by consuming Wolfsbane potion, which allows a werewolf to retain his or her human mind while transformed, thus freeing him or her from the worry of harming other humans or themselves. It is a very difficult potion to make, with many complicated ingredients. It has a very strong taste and smell, and it can only be consumed a week before the full moon.'_ **

It clicked in her head.

A very complicated Potion. Snape had taken a goblet to Lupin's office while they were there, he'd said that not many wizards would dare to do it... 

No, it couldn't be. 

Unless... that had been a week ago, and now he wasn't here– and if her Astronomy classes last week had been correct, this week there was a full moon. And if her memory didn't fail her, the last time they'd gone to the beach when she was younger, she'd seen a big bite-like scar on his right leg, right under his knee.

"Oh..." Her blood ran cold. _"Shit!"_

Her voice had caught a few of her classmates' attention, but luckily for her Snape was too busy criticizing Lupin's work to notice her vocabulary.

"Mel?" Hermione stopped crying. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She replied shortly. Her voice three times higher than intended. "I... I just remembered I forgot to do McGonagall's assignment, silly me!"

"Are you... okay?" Hermione insisted.

"Yup," She closed her book as the sound of the bell saved her from further explanations. "We should hurry..."

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves." Snape spoke loudly to all of them before leaving. "I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Snape insistence to read that particular chapter while Lupin was away, commenting on his poor teaching skills... it also made sense if she really thought about it– he wanted Lupin out, and if he wasn't a bad teacher, he wanted the kids to find out about his condition so the rumor could spread and he could get fired anyway. 

Mel wasn't going to let that happen.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to the girls while walking away from the classroom. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"

"I don't know," said Hermione. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon..." 

"Next week he'll be back, trust me," When both kids gave her sympathetic looks, she added, "I'm not saying it just because I want it to be true! I know how his sickness works, remember? It comes and goes, but he'll... he's fine, okay!"

She was a bit too shaken, but at least now she knew, and one, it wasn't exactly lethal, and two, she could _help._

"D'you know what that wanker is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing harshly, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!" 

"I could help you if you want," Mel offered.

Ron glanced at her briefly. He wasn't talking to her as much as before now that he knew about Erick, and she didn't know if it was because he was trying to keep his mouth shut or he was pissed at her to even pretend he still liked her. However, he was so angry at Snape that he actually considered it.

"How?"

"Dumbledore's lessons are being quite useful." She said. "I could hide with Harry's cloak next to you and help you- And before you say anything, 'Mione, you know that punishment wasn't fair."

She'd noticed the way her friend was staring at her, and knew she would have something to say against it. However, Hermione lowered her eyes and mumbled _'I guess it's true'._

"What do you say?" Mel looked at Ron with pleading eyes, this was her peace offering, and she knew it was just too good for him to refuse.

"Okay," Ron sighed, "I agree."

* * *

Mel had woken up by a nightmare. She woke up cold and thirsty, the memories flowing back into her brain: her uncle turning into a wolf and eating kids– then she was next to Harry, uncle Lupin nowhere to be seen, but a black dog was running after them, and he showed his fangs hungrily, grabbing her leg and pulling...

  
She couldn't stay in bed after that, so she grabbed her nightgown and headed to the common room, the soft steps of her cat beside her, letting her know she wasn't alone. Around twenty minutes later, she heard a familiar voice at the top of the stairs.

_"You know, I reckon Ron was right about you... There are plenty of mice around this place — go and chase them- Go on, leave Scabbers alone."_

She smiled, waiting for the familiar mop of hair to appear. When it did, she spoke up.

"Talking to yourself?"

Harry jumped so high she had to bite her lip to not scare Grey with her laughter. To be fair, the fireplace had long died out and she was sitting in the middle of the darkness with a storm as background, she must've looked terrifying.

"I almost kick Crookshanks to the other side of the room!"

"Why are you up so early?" She grinned. "The game doesn't start 'till later..."

"What're you doing up?" Harry asked back, sitting beside her.

"I had a nightmare," Mel shrugged, "Sirius Black has me all kinds of anxious, but it's nothing..."

"I see," He nodded, starting to scratch Grey's ear. "Is the great Dumbledore girl scared?"

She rolled her eyes, a small smile threatening to come out.

"That's not the point. You haven't answered my question– Is the great Gryffindor seeker scared of his beloved game being canceled because of the storm?"

"I don't think so," He changed his position so his body was now facing her side, "Quidditch matches aren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. But... Oliver showed me who Cedric Diggory is..."

Diggory was Hufflepuff's seeker, and Mel knew his name well enough since he was the school's sweetheart. Many girls liked him, though she hadn't seen him yet. She missed every opportunity to see him in the Great Hall, and it wasn't because she'd usually stare at Harry. No, of course not.

"And?" She asked with apprehension.

"He's a lot bigger than me. Seekers are supposed to be light and speedy but considering the weather... Diggory's weight can be an advantage because he's less likely to be blown off by the wind-"

Mel laughed. Harry stared at her with a little hurt in his eyes.

"Sorry! I'm not laughing at you," She said. "It's just... the image of you being blown away by the wind just cause you're skinny and small..." She covered her mouth to drown her giggles. "You have to admit it's sort of funny"

"I'm glad it amuses you," He replied sternly, "really, I'm happy you can see the bright side."

Mel's laughter only increased, Grey jumped from her lap to Harry's as a way to let her know that he didn't appreciate his nap being interrupted.

"You'll be fine," She replied once her laughter died down. 

"That's such a relief, thank you." He scoffed.

It was her turn to shift in her place to face him. She cupped his face with both hands and stared confidently into his eyes.

"Harry James Potter, you're the best seeker in the whole school and you'll beat that Diggory guy in no time. Trust me." She sentenced dramatically.

Harry gulped, eyes never leaving hers.

"Okay..."

She kept her hands there, unable to move away from his gaze. Harry was so _cute_.

Grey's loud cry soon brought them back, he didn't like it when they stopped scratching his ears in order to ogle at each other. They moved away from reach, blushing madly.


	10. Friendships.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is probably the first time I've had fun during detention," She mentioned, taking off the cloak and putting it away in her pocket. "I had fun with Hagrid too, but I was worried about you and Harry, now it was all so pleasant..."

When it was time to go for breakfast, Harry waited for her to change to her normal clothes so they could go downstairs, continuing their chat.

"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan, the painting that had replaced The Fat Lady during her restoration.

"Shut up," The kids replied in unison.

When Mel was finishing her breakfast, the Quidditch team entered all at once.

"Goodmorning, Lady," George ruffled her hair as he passed her by.

"Coming to wish us good luck?" Fred smirked, sitting next to his brother.

"I've been keeping Harry company," She smiled. "We woke up around the same time."

"How're you feeling, Harry?" George asked, passing a toast to his twin.

He glanced at Mel briefly.

"Quite well, thank you."

Ron and Hermione arrived soon after, Ron was going back to his usual self, joking around and laughing with her, it lifted the weight from her shoulders. When they left the castle she lost sight of Harry for a moment, the storm was falling heavily around them, and people ran trying to get to the Quidditch field as fast as possible.

She saw the familiar messy black hair in the distance and caught a glimpse of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle towards him.

"Not today," She growled, rushing over to his side.

However, the bullies didn't stop near Harry. They walked past laughing and pointing at him, Harry turned around the exact moment she arrived behind him and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"You've got to stop doing that!" He said, loud enough so she could hear him above the storm. He looked at her, smiling. "What're you doing?" Mel raised a brow.

"What'd you mean what am I doing?" She pouted. "It's your first game! Don't you remember?"

"What?" He asked with a silly smile. "You're standing right in the middle of a storm just to wish me luck?"

"I mean, I'd rather be in the changing rooms, but I caught up with you sooner," She grinned.

"You shouldn't have- The sky is falling..."

"I was going to walk through it anyway to get to the stands." She interrupted, brushing it off. "Good luck, Glasses."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Mel liked that Harry was the same height as her, it was easier to reach his face when she wanted, she didn't have to pull any collars, or poke his chest to get his attention like she usually did with the twins.

"T-Thanks..."

She barely heard him, maybe it was her imagination, but Harry looked a little dazzled.

* * *

"I can barely see them," She complained, inching forward.

"Stop!" Ron held her by the back of her cloak, "You'll fall!"

"They called for a time-out!" Hermione perked up. "Be right back!"

The girl rushed down to the Quidditch pitch and talked to the members of the team, Mel couldn't see what she was doing, but soon after Hermione returned looking extra happy.

"Harry couldn't see," She explained hurriedly while the teams went back into the air. "I think I fixed it, let's hope it actually works."

Harry did have better control of his broom. After a while of confusing techniques that were impossible to see, Diggory shot up in the sky while Harry desperately tried to catch up with him, and then... Mel gasped, she felt it before she saw it:

A whole pack of dementors surrounded the boys, she felt the cold with no idea of what to do next. Harry slowly started to lose grip, and watched almost in slow motion as he fell back into nothing. Dumbledore somehow managed to get to the pitch in no time, he was trying to scare de Dementors away, and Mel kept watching as Harry fall to his death, he was too high.

"No no no no," Her arm stretched as if trying to reach for his friend.

_'Focus,'_ She thought desperately, _'Focus!'_

_'STOP!'_ , She forced herself to think, her hand slightly shaking.

Harry's body no longer moved. Around twenty feet above the ground, he just stopped and floated for a second, before gradually descending into the mud. Mel retreated in shock.

"I did it?" She said under her breath.

She looked down at her hand and then turned to her friends, who were looking at her just as impressed. A crowd of people signaled to the sky, Diggory had caught the snitch.

"Oh no," She grimaced.

The next few minutes went by fast. The Gryffindor team flew down next to Harry while Dumbledore forced the dementors to go. Mel, Ron, and Hermione rushed down to the pitch the exact moment Diggory came down to argue that they ought to repeat the game because it wasn't fair, Harry had been attacked.

Harry had been _attacked_.

They gathered around Harry's bed in the Hospital wing, freezing cold and with Harry's utterly destroyed broom beside them. Mel wasn't talking much– she wasn't talking at all, the image of those creatures was enough to make her cry.

"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought he was dead for sure."

"But he didn't even break his glasses."

She stared at his face, it looked so calm and unharmed that he almost... looked dead.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life," She said abruptly, catching everyone's attention.

Harry stirred on his bed, eyebrows knitting together at the sound of her voice. Mel leaned forward to the edge of her chair, tentatively reaching for his forehead and brushing the hair away.

"Harry..." She waited, but the only response she got back was a soft groan. "Glasses?"

He snapped open his eyes, scanning the people around him.

"Harry!" said Fred behind her. "How're you feeling?"

"What happened?" Harry got up so abruptly that his friends flinched.

"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Alicia.

Hermione let out a soft cry and Mel hugged her tightly.

"But the match," Harry's frown deepened. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"

Of course that was his biggest concern, good ol' Harry, always having his priorities all mixed up.

"We didn't — lose?"

"Diggory got the Snitch," said George in a careful voice. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it."

"Where is Wood?"

"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry's expression was enough to break her heart. Poor thing, he must've felt so responsible. The boy hugged his knees and hid his face between them, his hands went up and held onto his hair tightly.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before." Fred grabbed his shoulder.

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.

"It's not over yet," His twin added. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin..."

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw..."

"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff..."

"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —"

Harry was terribly quiet while the team continued to argue. She understood how he felt, the impotence after all the training, all the team effort to get Oliver that house cup...

Her hands reached for his, softly moving them away. They immediately loosen up and Mel held onto his right one, gently stroking the back of it to warm it up.

Harry looked at her and she instantly felt goosebumps. However, she couldn't find it in herself to look away, there was such an intensity in them, a sad brightness... Mel squeezed his palm as if to say _'I'm sorry'_ and his reply was the shortest of sighs, his left hand reached to rest above both of their hands.

Madam Pomfrey came soon after to tell the team to leave him in peace. Still, she let his three friends stay for a little longer.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred promised, a serious look of empathy on his face. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

After a brief moment of silence, Hermione spoke up.

"Dumbledore was really angry, I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away and Mel..." She glanced nervously at the girl next to her. "She did something... You sort of slowed down before you hit the ground.

"I didn't do anything," Mel corrected, perhaps too quickly.

"You did," Ron frowned. "Harry was falling, and then you sort of stretched out your hand and made him float for like three seconds– and she had no wand on her hand, Harry-"

"It was a coincidence," She insisted, not knowing why she didn't want to admit it. "Dumbledore did all that, I just- I was scared, I don't even know why I did that..."

Harry stared at her with a puzzled expression, but she crossed her arms and looked away to the bag next to her, not in the mood to talk about it.

"Dumbledore was furious as well that they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him —" Hermione added.

"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were..."

Harry's eyes were now looking at some point in the distance, when he noticed the silence, he snapped back to reality.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?"

Mel gulped, sharing a look with Ron and Hermione.

"Er —"

"What?"

"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione.

"And?"

"And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow."

It was Harry's time to gulp.

"And?" He asked with a shaky voice.

_"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit."_

_"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice._

_Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick._

* * *

"Okay."

"Okay?" She tilted her head. "Okay what?"

"Just-" Fred seemed troubled with what he wanted to say. "Next visit to Hogsmeade feel free to join Ron and Hermione, all right?"

"What?" Her confusion increased. "Fred, I don't... Oh- _Oh._ Okay."

"Yeah," He frowned. "Okay."

Mel let out a short squeal and threw her arms around Fred's neck (which was a very complicated thing to do, considering how tall he was) and pulled him down for a hug.

"Oh, you're the best!" She said excitedly. "Thank you! I'll do whatever you want, I'll bloody set Snape's robes on fire if you want me to! You're the best!"

"All right, all right!" Fred pushed her away, blushing all the way down to his neck. "Cut it out!"

"Sorry!" She grinned, not sorry at all. "I have to go– I can't even find the words..."

"Looks like you don't need them," He rubbed his neck and laughed. "Anyway... that's all, see you later!"

"Bye!" She said happily, going back to the hospital wing.

Ron and Hermione had gone for dinner, but she decided to stay a little longer even if that night was the last Harry had to spend there on his own.

"You ought to take a bath," She covered her nose and pretended to smell something gross. "You smell like Dobby's old robes!"

"Funny," Harry threw one of his pillows at her and missed by a few inches. "There's something I want to tell you..."

The sudden change in his attitude caused her laughter to die almost instantly.

"Yes?"

"I didn't say this in front of Ron and Hermione cause you know how they are... I don't want to upset anyone but I... I feel like you won't react as badly."

"Okay," She leaned on his bed, ready to listen.

"I think– Well– I'm sure," He toyed with the edge of his blanket. "I saw the grim during the game, before the attack..."

Mel was taken by surprise, she didn't know what to say.

"Oh... You think- you believe it's... like Trelawney said?"

"I almost died both times, it has to mean something."

"I don't know," She said carefully. "It's odd... and the Dementors..."

Harry groaned, falling back on his pillow.

"I hate them," He replied. "I haven't told you about this... I finally know what those screams are about."

"The screams?" She frowned. "You mean the voices you heard the first time? It happened again?"

"Yes," He turned his head to look at her with a grave expression. "It's my mum... and Voldemort. I think... I think I hear the last moments before, you know..."

Mel knew. Did she believe it was possible? That, she didn't know.

"I see," She sighed. "I hate to see what they do to you, Harry. I wish I had a way to help but Dumbledore hasn't taught me anything–"

"Wait," He sat up again. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Mel blinked. "Are you having an idea? Finally, after thirteen years?"

"Oh, shut up," Harry replied, but he wasn't angry. "I just thought– Well, Lupin knew how to fight those Dementors in the train, right? Maybe he can teach me!"

Mel thought about it, she hadn't seen or talked to her uncle after her little discovery, she'd been studying about the subject for a while, and she was sure she could cover for her uncle well enough, didn't think Harry's idea represented an obstacle on her mission.

"You should ask him," She concluded. " _We_ should ask him. The first time they attacked me too, I'd like to be prepared." They agreed to ask after their next lesson, which hopefully, it'd be that very same week.

* * *

Mel had a hard time trying to stop laughing when Ron threw that crocodile's heart at Malfoy's face after his fifth impression of Harry falling off his broom. Even if he'd lost fifty points, it was worth it.

"You really are the best friend we could've asked for," She said breathlessly.

"I'm glad you think that way," He retorted, still moody from the class. "'Cause Snape extended my punishment and now it'll be two nights in a row cleaning with no magic."

"Oh, right," She turned to Harry. "Will you let me take your cloak then, Glasses?"

"I shouldn't," Harry said, pretending to think it deeply. "I don't know..."

"C'mon," Ron chuckled.

"I do think that what you're doing is wrong," Hermione said suddenly.

The three kids stared at her silently, not wanting to start a fight. Hermione smiled at them and gave Mel a small piece of parchment.

"So obviously, you didn't take that list of cleaning spells from me– And if you did, it was completely against my will, of course."

The boys looked at her in astonishment. Mel erupted into a second laughing fit, her friends soon joining in.

"Okay," Mel put the piece of parchment in her pocket, "I guess we're ready for detention!"

* * *

Mel loved uncle Lupin with all her heart, and she felt terribly sad about his appearance after that month's transformation. She loved him too much to see him suffering even is he didn't exactly look as if he was suffering. He didn't look healthy either, though, so she was certain that she'd do anything to keep him in school.

Now more than ever she needed to study for her extra lessons. Dumbledore was right, she'd managed to protect Harry after all, and the mere thought of it made her chest swell with pride. If she was capable of that after a few lessons, she could only imagine what she'd do after years of proper practice.

When the bell rang and the class was dismissed, Lupin called Harry for a word. Naturally, she stayed behind as well.

_"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"_

_"No," said Harry. "The tree smashed it to bits."  
_

_Lupin sighed._

_"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."_

_"Did you hear about the dementors too?" said Harry with difficulty._

_Lupin looked at him quickly._

_"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time . . . furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds. . . . I suppose they were the reason you fell?"_

_"Yes," said Harry. He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just — ?"_

_"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Harry's mind. "The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."_

_A ray of wintery sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face._

_"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself . . . soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."_

_"When they get near me —" Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."_

So that's what she'd seen back in the train, or felt, to be more specific. The time she got her skull fractured and the night she almost died under a bunch of rocks, miles away under the castle. It sounded horrible if she thought about it so bluntly.

_"Why did they have to come to the match?" said Harry bitterly._

_"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up. . . . I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement . . . emotions running high . . . it was their idea of a feast."_

_"Azkaban must be terrible," Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly._

_"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."_

_"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away. . . ."_

_Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it._

_"Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible. . . Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long. . . ."_

_"You made that dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly._

He looked at Mel and she nodded, it was time to ask.

"There are — certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

"What defenses?" said Harry at once. "Can you teach us?"

"Us?" He glanced at Mel, who had been discretely standing behind.

"The dementors affect me as well," She replied calmly. "And I don't like not knowing– I don't like not being able to defend myself. Neither does Harry, we don't want to be dragged around."

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors... quite the contrary..." He started, shaking his head.

"But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them —"

"What if they come to the stands this time?" Mel added anxiously. "Most of the kids don't know what to do, and the teachers may not be enough to protect us. I want to help, you know Dumbledore is giving me private lessons, you know what we've gone through, Harry and I... you know we can do it."

"Well..." Lupin examined one young face after the other, they looked determined. "All right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."

"You didn't choose to be ill," Mel said abruptly. "None of that it's your fault."

Lupin's eyes lingered on her expression, something close to worry shining on them.

"I... I know that, Mel."

"Thank you, Professor," Said Harry, turning to leave.

Mel followed suit, unwilling to meet her uncle's gaze.

* * *

Ron's detention went by faster than expected, and it was easier as well. Snape appeared at the start of the night, he sneered a few warnings at Ron and told him to not use his wand, but he didn't have to, he wasn't going to use his wand at all.

Mel, on the other hand, had a pretty decent wand and a list of very discrete, helpful spells. Her newfound ability with non-verbal spells was ready to go, with the cloak covering her entire body, there was nothing that could stop them.

Ron sat facing Snape so he could look at what he was doing, but every time he would lower his eyes to the essays he was correcting, Mel would silently wave her wand and vanish most of the stains. Ron pretended to be having a dreadful time, she held back her laughter so it wouldn't give them away, but it all went well in the end. They finished about an hour after they started, both times. It was expected that Snape would suspect, however, Mel was prepared for that.

Both times she would sneak out of the room minutes before Ron announced he was done, then Snape would glare at him and examine the work and make sure Ron didn't have his wand with him, then he would search the room with a quick spell Mel didn't know, and he would hiss at Ron to leave directly to his tower, no detours.

Both times Ron walked out looking exhausted, but his face would soon change after making sure Snape was too far to see or even listen to him. The second night (the last night of his detention) She dared to speak once they reached the marble staircase.

"This is probably the first time I've had fun during detention," She mentioned, taking off the cloak and putting it away in her pocket. "I had fun with Hagrid too, but I was worried about you and Harry, now it was all so pleasant..."

"You should've seen his face," Ron grinned. "He didn't believe me and I told him Mum makes me wash all my bedsheets during summer." They laughed.

"Thank you for that," He said suddenly. "You didn't have to help me."

"That's what friends do," She smiled. "They help each other... like Erick helps me, sometimes."

It was a dangerous thing to do, but she wanted to get the subject out of the way as fast as possible.

"Yeah," Ron sighed. "I don't like him, Mel. But every time you've said something and we didn't listen you ended up being right. You're sure this isn't a bad idea, and most of your ideas aren't bad, so I'll keep my mouth shut."

"That's nice," She smiled. "Thank you for listening..."

"We listen to you all the time now," He rolled his eyes. "Harry especially, he can't say no to you."

"That's not true!" Mel replied quickly.

"It is!" Ron insisted. "You don't want to see it, that's it. You're still all lovey about him?"

"Ron!" She complained.

"You are," He laughed.

"The point is-" Mel pressured, ignoring her redness, "I'm really thankful. I promise I'll tell Harry, the thing is that this friendship is not just me, you know? Erick has a saying too and if he wants to keep it secret it'd be weird if all of a sudden a Weasley boy started to act all nice around him-"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Ron raised a brow. "I said I won't say anything, it doesn't mean I want to be his friend."

"But..." Mel looked at him. "I told you he's not a bad person?"

"He's a Slytherin," Ron shrugged as if that explained everything.

Mel didn't want to keep talking about it. She appreciated both, Erick and Ron way too much to start a fight about something that was pointless. It had to remain a secret at least for another year until Erick's brother finally graduated and he didn't have someone watching over his every move all day. For all she cared, it was all right if Ron didn't want to talk to him, the less people involved in their agreement, the better.


	11. A Truth Unveiled.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mel took off her hat and put it in his head in spite of his complaints. She walked really close to him too, arguing that he wouldn't be so cold that way. It was a weak excuse, but neitherof them cared to point it out.

Her mum's letter arrived a week before the Christmas break. It didn't say much (as expected) and that annoyed her beyond belief. How long would her family hide things from her? She wasn't a baby! Either way, she wrote back telling her mum that she understood, and hoped that her uncle would feel better for the rest of the term, though she knew he wasn't going to. Still, she didn't need to tell her all to help uncle Lupin, she would do it on her own.

Mel also made sure to tell Harry she would go to the next visit to Hogsmeade, which was that very same weekend. She told the boy she wanted to buy presents and all, and he said it was okay, though she could see he felt a little betrayed, even if he insisted that she should go without him. So that Saturday morning, Mel got her favorite coat and hat and stood next to Hermione and Ron on the line, with Harry standing beside them. She didn't see the twins around, so a terrible thought made its way through– What if they took back their promise and they weren't going to give Harry the map?

No, the twins were good blokes, not liars– All was fine. The girl gave her friend one last hug and joined the rest of the students. 

The town was even more beautiful than expected, the little houses and the various types of establishments made her slightly dizzy, it was hard to worry when so many wonders surrounded her.

"Well," Ron smiled widely. "Where to first?"

She realized the boy was asking her, so she looked around.

"Honeydukes sounds just fine," She grinned.

* * *

During five minutes her eyes kept moving from one place to another, her hands already full of free samples. A familiar face entered the store and as soon as he saw her, he walked all the way to where she was.

"You came," Erick said with a pleased smile. She jumped, dropping a bag of marshmallows between their feet.

"I needed to do my Christmas shopping," She thanked him when he reached for the bag and returned it to its shelf.

"If you say so, Miss..."

"Can you stop calling me that?" She huffed. " _'Miss'_ – You've known me for two years, I think you can cut the formalities."

"Sorry for having manners," He raised a brow.

"Manners of a grandad," She snorted. 

"My family's not exactly young–" Erick sort of pouted. "My brother's the only young man apart from me, and he doesn't talk much..."

"Right, cause he's an idiot," Mel nodded distractedly, picking random jars and smelling their contents.

"Clearly," He agreed. "Really, why are you here? I thought you'd wait until your boyfriend was allowed to come?"

"Harry's not my boyfriend," Mel replied calmly. "I told you, I'm buying presents. Why are you talking to me in public, anyway? Where are your _lovely_ friends?"

"They went for butterbeers. I said I needed to buy ink."

"I assume you lied," She smiled, taking a few chocolates and adding them to her bag.

"I saw you walk into the store and my curiosity won, I needed to know what could've possibly happened for you to willingly walk away from your _darling boy..._ "

"You're an eighty-year-old living in a boy's body," She teased.

"Mel–" Ron and Hermione walked around the corner, holding two small bags filled with their sweets. "You've to-"

He stopped short as soon as he saw the boy standing next to her. Erick tried to walk away, but she caught his wrist and kept him in place.

"It's okay," She commented softly.

"He's here," Ron frowned.

"Hi, _Flint_ ," Hermione spoke in just the right amount of formality to make sure he knew he wasn't welcomed.

"I..." Erick glanced at Mel in confusion before answering. "Hi?"

Mel sighed, she thought that if there was ever a time to set things clear before Harry found out, it was now.

"They know," She explained. "Hermione found out last year after you stupidly introduced yourself, and Ron saw you talking to me the night we slept in the Great Hall and recognized you from that time Faustus insulted me... I'm sorry, I know you wanted to keep it a secret but–"

"We're not as stupid as you think we are," Ron replied coldly, but he wasn't looking at her.

Erick went a bit red, it was the first time she'd seen him like this.

"I see," He said, clearing his throat. "I suppose I should apologize. Faustus isn't likable for most, especially when it comes to Gryffindors–"

"S'not only your pal Faustus, is it?" Ron replied. "It's all of you charming blokes."

"Ron..." Mel warned, but Erick didn't take it easy either.

"That's rich coming from you," He scoffed. "Faustus said what, like five words? And your mate was ready to jump on his throat– All of you are a bunch of heated heads always jumping into conclusions and looking for a fight–"

"Erick!" Mel insisted.

"Are we now?" Ron's ears were starting to turn a deep red.

Erick stepped forward. Mel saw his jaw clench like every time she'd said something rude on accident. 

"I'm just saying that maybe if you had more brains, you'd be able to see not all Slytherins are nasty bullies."

"You have a brilliant way to prove it, Flint!" Mel pulled him away from Ron before they could start a fight. "I think you made a grand first impression already, go back with to your friends."

Only then Erick seemed to go back to his senses, his eyes softening at her words.

"But-"

"Now," She insisted dryly. "I'll talk to you later."

Erick stood there, mouth slightly open to defend himself, his frown never leaving. Then he just shook his head.

"All right," He moved forward towards the exit, pushing against Ron's shoulder on purpose. They were about the same height, but Erick had a bigger, more intimidating presence, if that made any sense. He glanced at her briefly before leaving and said, "Have a good Christmas, _Miss._ "

She waited until he was out of the store before speaking again.

"This is not how it was supposed to go..."

"What, you planned a tea party?" Ron spat. "I told you, it's impossible to get along with them..."

"Then why can I?" She asked in an awful mood. 

"I don't know!" He made a face. "You've always been kind of odd anyway, I mean, you even have classes with Dumbledore–"

"That doesn't mean anything!" She said, fed up with his behavior. "You're acting like a child! Just because he's a Slytherin doesn't mean he's terrible!"

"How do you know he doesn't mean to harm you, Mel?" Hermione asked shyly. "How do you know he's only being good because he wants to and not because he's planning something else? What if..." She hesitated, "What if he wants to harm Harry?"

"What could possibly come out from it?" She huffed. "You're saying the only reason why he would want to be my friend is to get close to Harry? To hurt him through me?"

"We're not saying-"

"Don't bother," She stated harshly. "I make my own decisions and I decided long ago that Erick was my friend. I'm sorry if you don't agree but that's it, I'm not asking for approval."

Ron was about to reply but Hermione stopped him, sending a warning look before letting out a sigh and saying softly, "We won't stop you."

"Good," She finished, taking another jar from the shelf just to have something to do.

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, picking up random jars and deciding what kind of sweets they'd buy for Harry. She wasn't participating; to the terrible moment she'd passed, it was now added the fact that Harry was nowhere to be seen and that meant that Fred and George maybe had let her down. She couldn't wait to go back to school and spend the next weeks alone with Harry, she didn't want to know about anyone else.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was examining a few blood-flavored sweets, Mel had her back to them, reading the ingredients of some black pepper imps.

"How about these?" asked Ron.

_"Definitely not,"_ said a third voice.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "What are you doing here? How — how did you — ?"

"Wow!" said Ron. "You've learned to Apparate!"

"Harry!" Mel's humor improved drastically.

"'Course I haven't," said Harry, he had to tilt his head a little to speak to the others after Mel decided to suffocate him with a hug. "It was Fred and George, they gave me this map..."

He told them the whole story in a very low voice so no one else could hear, Ron wasn't very pleased.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me! I'm their brother!"

"Well," Then he looked at the girl standing beside him, his smile growing. "They weren't planning on giving it to me, but they asked me to thank you for their early Christmas present?"

Mel blushed, shrugging it off like it was nothing.

"They could've refused my petition, but they were generous enough to give the map away, you should thank them and only them."

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" Hermione interrupted. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry, looking at their friend like she'd gone crazy.

"Are you mad?" said Ron, saying exactly what they were thinking. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!" 

"And then it'd be my fault they got in trouble because I asked them in the first place!" Mel frowned. "You don't want me to get detention again, right?"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione inquired. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"

Mel bit her lip, she certainly hadn't thought of that, too busy trying to get her best friend a little break from all the bad news.

"He can't be getting in through a passage," Harry was quick to explain. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there. . ." 

The boy stopped as if the idea had just occurred to him as well. However, Ron nudged his arm and pointed to the sign on the wall next to them:

_**— By order of—** _

**_THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC_ **

_**Customers are reminded that until further notice, dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall.** _

_**Merry Christmas!** _

"See? I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"

"Yes, but — but — Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?" 

"In broad daylight?" Mel raised a brow. "I know he's got a reputation, but this isn't exactly a muggle place, he'd be caught in no time!"

"He'd have a job spotting Harry in this," Ron pointed to the snow falling outside. "Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Harry deserves a break."

"Please, 'Mione?" Mel pleaded, putting one arm around Harry's shoulders and pouting. "It's Christmas!"

"Are you going to report me?" Harry smiled knowingly. 

"Oh — of course not — but honestly, Harry —" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Then it's done!" Mel let go of Harry and locked arms with the girl. "How about we go to the post office?"

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" Ron took Harry and lead him over to a barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick... Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?" 

"I'd like to see you try," Mel looked at him over her shoulder, grinning.

* * *

Poor Harry had left the school in such a rush he didn't bring anything to protect himself from the cold. Mel took off her hat and put it in his head in spite of his complaints. She walked really close to him too, arguing that he wouldn't be so cold that way. It was a weak excuse, but neitherof them cared to point it out.

Ron asked if they'd like to go a drink butterbeer to get away from the cold, and they gladly accepted, so they directed themselves towards the Three Broomsticks.

The place was crowded but it wasn't uncomfortable at all, somehow it still had enough room to sit.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron, pointing to the woman who was serving drinks near the bar. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" 

Mel and Hermione shared a look and giggled at how Ron tried to fix his appearance before talking to the lady.

"There's a table back there," Harry pointed to the back of the room.

The group sat right in the corner and a few moments later Ron walked over holding four tankards.

"Merry Christmas!" He said, giving one butterbeer to each of them.

And just cause life simply didn't feel like giving them a break, the door opened and through it appeared Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid... and the Minister of Magic. Ron and Hermione practically pushed Harry out of his chair and under the table, Mel sat very still. Technically, she was allowed to be there, but she knew that just like Erick, her teachers would know right away something was up.

"Mobiliarbus!" Hermione pointed to the Christmas tree next to their table and hid them behind it so the adults wouldn't notice them.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?"

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumor..." 

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" Professor McGonagall huffed.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" 

"I'm sure of it."

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice? Scared all my customers away... It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do. Necessary precaution . . . unfortunate, but there you are. . . . I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not! How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"All the same- They are here to protect you all from something much worse... We all know what Black's capable of... "

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it... Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought... I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst? Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do."

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta– Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally! Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk and Mel gasped. Ron kicked him and Hermione put a hand over her mouth that she soon pushed away.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ring-leaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him." 

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know- Who?"

"Worse even than that, m'dear. . . Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" 

"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" 

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself . . . and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" 

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements– Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who. So even if he had someone as the Secret-Keeper he asked his nephew, Matthew, to patrol in the house during night time."

Mel's heart skipped a beat. 

Her father knew Harry's parents?

"And Matt agreed just like that?"

"Well, it didn't take much convincing, you know how he was," McGonagall explained. "Besides they were all the closest of friends, and Mel had already been born, he used to take her from time to time during his patrols at the Potter's house to lighten up the mood, they were quite the lovely pair as babies..."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black? Even though Matthew was a known Auror?"

"He did," said Fudge. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —" 

"Black betrayed them?" 

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said.

"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him! I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry and Mel from Lily an' James's house after they was killed!– Mel was there too ya know? Halloween an' all, the kids playin' all day, Matthew had been there all day with little Mel. Jus' got 'em outta the ruins, poor little things, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead, it was luck da' Mel only got a few scratches..."

She put her drink on the table, suddenly she couldn't breathe.

"Dumbledore took Mel and said he was goin' to deliver the news himself to Emily, that I had ter take Harry with his relatives... an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" 

"Hagrid, please! Keep your voice down!" 

"Poor Emily!" Madam Rosmerta cried. "I remember her well, that girl, so young and widowed! And with a one-year-old baby! Oh, she and Matthew were so lovely, they loved their friends so much..."

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily, James, an' Matt? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him —' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper, and he had got ol' Matt killed. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him."

Mel wasn't sure that she was still in the place, or the same reality for that matter.

Her parents knew the Potters, they were _friends._ She had been there that night- worse yet, her father had died trying to protect them, and she didn't know, _she didn't know..._

"But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore..." 

"But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!" Madam Rosmerta exclaimed. 

"Alas, if only we had... It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself." 

"Pettigrew . . . that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" 

"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now. . ." 

"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge. "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily, James and Matt, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens..."

"Stupid boy... foolish boy... he was always hopeless at dueling... should have left it to the Ministry..." McGonagall cried.

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd've ripped him limb — from — limb-" 

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid! Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. The only one being Matthew, perhaps, but he was long gone... I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him . . . a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —" 

They all blew their noses at the same time. 

Her father had died because he was there the night Voldermort tried to kill Harry. 

She had been there as well, but somehow, some miraculous thing had happened and she hadn't been killed... perhaps Voldemort thought he could kill Harry first and then get rid of her, perhaps he thought he had enough time...

Her head was pounding, she wanted it to stop, she didn't want to keep listening.

"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class– just like Matthew did, which I think was some comfort to Pettigrew's poor mother and Matt's wife, though Emily tried to reject it for some time– she accepted in the end. Black's been in Azkaban ever since." 

She only realized she was hurting herself when Hermione reached for her hand and unclenched it, her nails had been digging so hard against her palm there was now tiny drops of blood starting to appear on her skin.


	12. Hermione's Decisions.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How could he look at James and Lily Potter and still give them away to Voldemort? He was a cold, heartless man, and knowing that Voldemort would probably also kill her dad and her in the process, could it really exist someone that cruel?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quarantine may be strong but I'm a dumb bitch that never understood time anyway so he can't beat me, I WON'T lose my mind -Danny

"Did it work?"

"Huh?"

"The map, did it work?"

"...Oh!" 

Mel was back in the common room after dinner only to find the tower stinking thanks to the Dungbombs Fred and George'd thrown in celebration for the end of term. She was thinking about going to bed when the twins stood in her way, looking happy as ever.

"Yes, it worked," She said distractedly. "Thank you- I'm a little tired, so if you guys don't mind..."

"You're all right?" Fred frowned.

Mel tried to explain, come up with a simple lie to brush it off, but she couldn't think of any.

"She's tired, Fred," George looked at his brother intently. "Let's move..."

"I can walk on my own!" His brother grunted, sending one last look at her. "Well... have a good night, Mel."

"Bye..." She didn't even bother to try and convince them that she was fine, she wasn't.

Of all the lies, this one was probably the one that stung more. Her mum should've told her something, _anything_ , about her father. Even the tiniest detail would've made her understand. What was her mother so afraid of? Was she ashamed of not being able to save her friends and husband? Sirius Black had the blame. 

It was his fault that she was fatherless, that Harry had to live with the Dursleys, that their lives were incomplete. How a man so close to someone could just betray like that? She knew how it was to be friends with someone who was always being threatened by others, to be scared for your own life but risking it anyway because your friend needs you.

How could he look at James and Lily Potter and still give them away to Voldemort? He was a cold, heartless man, and knowing that Voldemort would probably also kill her dad and her in the process, could it really exist someone that cruel?

_It shouldn't._ Mel thought while getting under the covers.

_Sirius Black shouldn't exist at all._

* * *

She didn't speak while Hermione and Ron tried to persuade Harry from chasing Black. Truth be told, Mel thought it was his right to be angry and to want justice, more so when Black had also gotten her dad killed. If it wasn't for him, things would've been easier.

Ron offered to visit Hagrid and Harry agreed almost immediately just so he could be angry at someone else besides Ron and Hermione. Mel didn't refuse, she put on her cloak and followed the group until they reach Hagrid's house.

"Hagrid!" called Harry, slamming his fist against the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?"

A second later Hagrid appeared, looking completely devastated.

"Yeh've heard?" He threw himself at Harry, crying his eyes out.

Ron and Hermione walked forward to get a hold of their friend, entering the house with Hagrid between them.

"Hagrid, what is it?" said Hermione.

"What's this, Hagrid?" Harry pointed to the letter on the table. 

Hagrid pushed it towards him and the boy read it out loud.

_'Dear Mr. Hagrid,  
Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident-'_

"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" Hagrid didn't answer to Ron, he insisted to Harry to keep reading.

_'However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated._

_Yours in fellowship...'_

"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off—"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures! They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"

A cracking noise got the kids' attention, and they all turned to see Buckbeak on the left corner, eating some sort of small animal.

"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas." 

They left promising they would help him with the case, they couldn't promise to be experts, but they would do their best. 

Nothing seemed helpful enough, though. They spent the majority of two days looking for a solution that never arrived. 

Mel closed the book, letting herself fall on her back and landing on Harry's lap with a surprised _'Oof!'_ from the boy.

"Any luck?" She asked without moving.

Harry moved the book he was holding so he could see her face and shook his head lightly. 

"Most cases were closed with the creature dying, or running away."

"I would like to be a caretaker of magical creatures," She said with a newfound passion. "They aren't treated like they deserve– and Hagrid's right, you know? They don't know better, some of them are truly misunderstood..."

"Let's just focus on one creature at a time," Harry told her, his attention back on the book.

Mel lifted her book to read with her head still on Harry's lap and stayed there, reading for the next forty minutes until it was dinner time.

* * *

Christmas day arrived with a letter from her mum letting her know that the Weasleys had invited her to stay, so she was at the burrow. Mel would've loved to send a howler, but she reread the letter and it suddenly hit her:

With her decision to stay in school and her uncle now teaching, Emily was bound to spend Christmas alone. Mel hadn't thought about it before, but maybe, that was the reason why she hadn't told her everything, not because she wanted to hide things from her, but because she wanted to forget. Their lives used to be so lonely before Hogwarts... perhaps she was trying to leave that behind.

She decided to send a letter to her mother thanking her for the present and wishing a happy Christmas to the Weasleys. When she finished she felt really proud of herself, it looked like she was learning to control her emotions. The next present she opened filled her with such joy that she ran from her room and burst into the boys' room.

"I GOT A WEASLEY SWEATER!" She jumped on top of Ron's bed and threw her presents on it. "SEE?"

She pulled the fabric of the neatly done piece of clothing to show it to her friends. Her sweater was navy blue, with a cat similar to Grey right in the middle.

"It's so pretty!" She beamed. 

"It is," Harry walked up to her and examined it. "Mine's red."

"You could wear it at the same time," Ron said with a not-so-subtle tone. "My parents always wear matching outfits during the Holidays."

Mel's eyes widened as she mumbled something about Harry and her not being parents and having no need to match. Harry stepped back and tripped over a thing, a long object laying next to his bed.

"What's that?" She asked, wanting to change the subject.

Harry stared at it, unsure.

"Dunno..."

He took it and ripped the paper.

"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely, almost dropping it back to the ground.

However, the broom didn't fall. It stayed right in place, floating at the right height so Harry could mount it.

"Bloody..." Mel stood up from Ron's bed. "It's... It's a Firebolt!"

"Who sent it to you?" said Ron, just as shocked.

"Look and see if there's a card," said Harry.

Ron ripped apart the Firebolt's wrappings.

"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"

"Well," said Harry, "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys."

"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron. "He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously..."

"That was my dad's, though," said Harry. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to me. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on me. He can't go giving students stuff like this —" 

"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him! In case some git like Malfoy said it was favoritism. Hey, Harry– Malfoy! Wait till he sees you on this! He'll be sick as a pig! This is an international standard broom, this is!"

"I can't believe this," Harry muttered. "Who — ?"

"I know– I know who it could've been — Lupin!"

"What?" Harry laughed. "Lupin? Listen, if he had this much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some new robes."

"Yeah, but Lupin was away when your Nimbus got smashed, and he might've heard about it and decided to visit Diagon Alley and get this for you —" Ron insisted. 

"What d'you mean, he was away?" said Harry. "He was ill when I was playing in that match."

"Well, he wasn't in the hospital wing," said Ron. "Mel and I were there that night, cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?"

Mel bit her lip, she couldn't say anything, so she changed the subject.

"My uncle never gives me presents this expensive, and I'm her niece! Well... not by blood, but you know..." She stared at the broom with admiration. "You know–" Mel lifted her eyes from the broom to Harry's face, "If you weren't my best friend, I'd be really jealous, but I _am_ you're best friend, so you'll let me fly at least once, right?"

"No, he'll let me use it first, right Harry?" Ron sat up on the bed.

"He won't!"

"He will!"

Ron and Mel started to throw each other paper balls made out of the wrappers from the presents. Their laughter filling the room.

"What're you two laughing about?"

Hermione had Crookshanks, in her arms, she had adorned his neck with a string of tinsel.

"Don't bring him in here!" said Ron, jumping to his bed and hiding Scabbers in his pocket.

"Oh, Harry! Who sent you that?" Hermione gasped, looking at his new broom and ignoring Ron's petition.

"No idea. There wasn't a card or anything with it." 

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron, noticing Hermione's face darkening with worry.

"I don't know... but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?"

"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," Ron scoffed.

"So it must've been really expensive..."

"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together."

"Well... who'd send Harry something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" said Hermione.

"Harry always has people giving him things," Mel rolled her eyes. "It shouldn't surprise you."

"Who cares?" said Ron. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it before Mel? Can I?"

"Ron!" Mel scoffed.

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione.

"What d'you think Harry's going to do with it — sweep the floor?" said Ron.

"Okay, if you're worried about it being bad, I can help."

Mel rolled the sleeves of her sweater so she could have both hands free, then she turned to look at Hermione.

"Dumbledore taught me this– Don't worry, I won't damage the broom..."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding the broom with both hands and focusing on what she was feeling. After a minute, all she could sense was a subtle buzzing inside of it, almost mechanical. The broom didn't seem to hold anything more than the magic necessary to lift it from the ground.

"The coast it's clear," She said, rolling down her sleeves. "It should work just fine."

But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks jumped straight to Ron's chest.

"GET — HIM — OUT — OF — HERE!" 

* * *

After her breakfast and the terrible news of her uncle getting sick again (this only confirmed her suspicions, since she had made a moon calendar and knew perfectly well that Christmas night had a full moon.) Mel, Ron, and Harry went back up to the tower, Harry running back into his room and taking the broom for them to admire.

However, the silent admiration didn't last long when Hermione entered the room with McGonagall following close behind.

"So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the Firebolt. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."

Hermione sat terribly still next to them, pretending to read a book that was upside down. 

"May I?" Professor McGonagall pulled the Firebolt out of their hands. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"

"No."

"I see..." said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter." 

"W — what?" said Harry, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down —"

"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, breathless.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."

"There's nothing wrong with it!" said Harry, his voice shaking slightly. "Mel already examined it! Honestly, Professor —"

"You can't know that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, with infinite patience. "Not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I don't say this to offend you, Miss Dumbledore, but you're no expert at dark magic. I shall keep you informed." 

"No..." Mel whimpered as she watched the woman walk away with the broom.

Once she was gone, Ron stood in front of Hermione.

"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"

"Because I thought — and Professor McGonagall agrees with me — that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!" 

* * *

Harry and Ron refused to speak to Hermione after that. Mel, on the other hand, decided she'd had enough of pointless resentments. Even if it was a little insulting that Hermione didn't trust her skills, she could see how unprofessional she looked, as a thirteen-year-old with barely any magical education. Did she think she'd done it right and the broom had nothing wrong? She was certain, but understood and decided not to be mad at Hermione.

She allowed the boys to be mad though, they saw the whole thing as something awful, and for Harry surely it was hard to give up something so good considering all the bad things happening to him. Mel didn't mind when she found herself dividing her time between them and the girl, she had the feeling it wouldn't be the last time. 

Harry had the kindness to remind Lupin about their lessons, Mel almost decided to stay and confess that she knew about his condition, but ignored that idea, she didn't think it would help.

"Still looks ill, doesn't he?" asked Ron as they walked down the corridor. "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?" 

_There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armor, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close._

_"And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably._

_"Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder._

_"Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you —"_

_"Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority._

Mel's heart shrunk inside her chest. Surely, Hermione didn't know. Although she'd done that essay on werewolves, and she was the smartest girl of their year...

"If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.

"Fine," said Hermione, and she marched off.

"She doesn't know," said Ron, frowning at the girl's back. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again." 

Mel wanted him to be right.

* * *

The girl approached her usual spot in the library to meet Hermione and slammed both hands on the table, making her friend jump.

"You can't tell them about my uncle."

"Wha- Who?" Hermione had her hair all over the place, with big, dark circles under her eyes.

"Merlin, 'Mione," Mel's eyes widened. "Are you all right? You don't look okay..."

"I'm just a little caught up..."

"More like completely disintegrating," She sat beside her. "You need to quit some classes, this is not good for your health–"

"I can handle it!" She retorted. "I'm just worn out because I'm also helping Hagrid-"

"I'm helping Hagrid as well and I don't look nowhere near this tired..."

"This isn't the point," Hermione closed her book abruptly, turning to face her. "You told me I can't tell the boys about Professor Lupin. You know, don't you?"

Mel wanted to step back, but she also needed to talk about it with someone.

"Of course I know," She sighed. "I found out at the same time as you, I suppose. They can't know."

"Why?"

"The more people hear about it, the more the rumors will grow," Mel gulped. "You read the book, they don't think of werewolves as people, not even when they're not transformed. They appeared in the book of magical creatures, 'Mione! My uncle is not an animal and I won't let someone like Malfoy discover the truth and start spreading rumors about trying to eat him or something."

Hermione stayed quiet for a moment, Mel was sure she understood her point.

"Harry and Ron aren't like that."

"Harry might be okay with it, but Ron..." Mel bit her lip. "He's a pureblood, he was raised thinking werewolves are something to be feared. I don't want his impression of my uncle to change over something that has nothing to do with who he is."

"I... I guess you're right," Hermione supported her head on one head and yawned. "Do you think they'll forgive me?"

"We'll have to wait and see," She sighed. "You know how they feel about Quidditch."

"You like Quidditch too, and you're not angry."

"Yeah, but that's cause I have more interests than just Quidditch. I'm good with other things– Harry's favorite distraction is Quidditch, and Ron loves it because he wants to play like all his brothers did before him. I understand what you were trying to do, wait a little longer for them to figure it out."

Hermione straightened up and nodded decidedly.

"You're right, I won't let them get to me."

"Cool. Talking about misunderstandings... I invited-Erick-to-our-study-session."

She almost wished Hermione to be deaf. She heard it all though, loud and clear.

"You what?!" She hissed. "You know I don't want anything to do with him!"

"I do," Mel said firmly. "But since you're currently on our table hiding from the boys, you're gonna have to accept that I'm taking the opportunity to see Erick as well. I can't split myself in three."

"Mel, honestly," Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know you'll do whatever you want in the end, but you can't blame me for not trusting him– He's a Slytherin!"

"He's human!" She whispered back. "He can think for himself and he's allowed to try new things, especially if those things are going to make him a better person. You don't even know the whole story!"

"What's the whole story, then?" The girl crossed her arms.

"I can't go around telling his secrets to my friends cause they feel they have the right to approve our friendship or not!"

"I don't feel like that! I just want to know what on earth did that boy tell you, for you to defend him like that!"

"I told her the truth." 

Both girls turned quickly on their seats. Erick was standing behind them, his arms were loosely crossed in front of his chest, not in a defensive way, but as if he'd been standing there for a while and was just comfortably leaning against the bookshelf while listening to their conversation.

"It's rude to eavesdrop," Hermione said, turning her back to the boy and picking up her book.

Erick smiled, however, it wasn't his _real_ smile. This one was cold and sharp, it almost looked... well, like he was showing his fangs.

"It's also rude to talk about someone behind their back," He rounded the table calmly, sitting in front of the girls. "Especially if the person has done nothing to upset you."

"Well, your friends are not saints exactly," Hermione mumbled without looking up from her reading.

"I can't speak for my friends– I'm not even trying to," He replied with annoyance. "I'm talking about me, and I'm defending my honor only. You've noticed my friends are capable of defending theirs."

"I did," She glared at him over the pages. "I understand you're loyal to your kind, but why should I think you'll be good to Mel, what if they try to fight her, which side are you going to take?"

"I believe that's none of your business," His voice came out as a whisper so low that Mel almost had to read his lips. "You don't know where my loyalties are, and I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't even have to explain myself to Mel but I chose to do it because she's proven to be a worthy friend. Perhaps you and your friends would've gotten a better response if you hadn't jumped into conclusions and immediately tried to rip off our faces."

"Your friend insulted Mel!"

"Yeah, and I would've asked him to apologize if your friend hadn't tried to fight him-"

"Enough!" Mel looked around nervously, watching if they were still alone. "I'm sick of hearing fights about who has the biggest head. You both walked into it showing your teeth and throwing insults– I'm done with it. If I'm going to spend my study sessions with the both of you, you have to at least promise you'll keep things formal."

"But-"

"I'm not done," She frowned. "Hermione won't bring up any nasty comments about your friends or your house, and you won't try to brush off ours like we're a bunch of brainless babies. I like you, both of you. I even think that if you really try, you'd see that you're sort of similar–" She raised a hand to stop them from arguing back, "I won't force you to be friends, I just want a quiet study session with my smartest friends, is that too much to ask?"

She looked back and forth between the two, both wearing similar frowns and still sending deathly glares to each other. Finally, it was Erick who spoke first.

"Fine," He said shortly. "I warn you, though, as soon as she tries to blame something on my house I'll leave and I won't humor your little reunions anymore."

"I won't tolerate any comments about Ron and Harry either," Hermione lifted her chin proudly. "They may not be speaking to me right now, but they're still my friends."

Erick raised a brow, with a casual interest that Mel recognized as his usual way of showing he _really_ wanted to know the gossip, he turned his attention back to her.

"You're not speaking to them?"

"I am," Mel sat down, picking a book from the pile Hermione had brought to the table. "Hermione's not because she told McGonagall about Harry's broom and she confiscated it."

"He got a new broom?"

"He got a Firebolt," She said.

"Is that one supposed to be like, you know, really good?"

Hermione looked up from her book, Erick had used almost the same words as her and that had caught her attention.

"Erick's not a big fan of Quidditch either," Mel explained, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, it's supposed to be the best broom there is."

"Why did McGonagall took it away?"

"Because it didn't say who sent it, so naturally-"

"Sirius Black?" Erick raised his eyebrows.

"Yes," Mel nodded, brushing it off, "but I don't think that's the case, he can't even walk two steps without being recognized-"

"Well, he's a powerful wizard, isn't he?" The boy interrupted. "He could pretend to be someone else, he could curse someone to buy the broom and then have it delivered, then curse it and send it to Harry– He could even brew Polyjuice Potion and go as someone else..."

"I... didn't think of that," Mel frowned, mumbling: _'How didn't I think of that?'_

" _Desperate times require desperate measures_ ," Erick shrugged. "Might be a brilliant broom, but if your main goal is to keep your precious Harry alive for another year, I'd even take a bite of his breakfast every day before him just to make sure it's not poisoned."

"That's a bit of an exaggeration..."

"You get my point."

"Thank you," Hermione said out of the blue, almost spitting it out like she didn't want to hear herself say it. "That's all I wanted, to make sure Harry's safe."

Erick's eyes met hers briefly and he nodded shortly, which in that case, was almost as hearing him say _'You're welcome.'_

They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the afternoon, but Mel definitely heard their goodbyes coming out less spiteful, and it immediately improved her mood.


	13. A Perfect Match.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What does a Patronus look like?" asked Harry.
> 
> "Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is the only constant of my life and I'm so happy to have it during quarantine, otherwise I would've lost my mind months ago -Danny

"You'll be having almost as many extra lessons as Hermione," Harry commented happily as they walked through the hall.

"But nowhere near as much work as she has," Mel raised a brow. "Honestly, she's worn out, I worry about her well being... When are you planning to forgive her?"

Harry looked at her. He wasn't looking at her like saying _'Not now'_ , it was more of a contemplative kind of stare, he was trying to put an actual date.

"Perhaps once I get my broom back," He concluded.

Mel was happy and at ease with his response. After her last study group with Hermione and Erick, she didn't want to disturb the good mood everyone had lately, they seemed to be lacking joy most of the time, and she didn't dare to break the spell.

They waited around five minutes for Professor Lupin to arrive, he walked into the classroom holding a big case and laid it on top of Professor Bin's desk.

"What's that?" Harry got nearer to take a better look.

"Another boggart," said Lupin. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real dementor. The boggart will turn into a dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."

"Okay," said Harry.

"We're ready," Mel got up from the chair, grabbing her wand decisively.

"So..." Professor Lupin and Harry also drew out their wands. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic— well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It's called the Patronus Charm."

"How does it work?" 

"Well, when it works correctly, it conjures up a Patronus, which is a kind of anti-dementor — a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the dementor. The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, kids, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."

"I like to remain hopeful," Mel smiled, walking up to her teacher.

"What does a Patronus look like?" asked Harry.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

"And how do you conjure it?"

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory." 

Mel let out a sigh of relief. She could do that, she already had a few in mind. Still, she had to pick a powerful one, maybe one that was recent?

"Right," Harry said, his breathing a little shaky.

"The incantation is this — _Expecto patronum!"_

"Expecto patronum," Harry repeated, "expecto patronum."

"Expecto patronum..." Mel nodded.

"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"

"Oh — yeah —" said Harry, looking like he sort of wasn't. "Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — expecto patronum, expecto patronum —"

_Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas._

_"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly. "Something happened!"_

That looked like a very good omen, if Harry could concentrate enough to make it, so could she.

"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then — ready to try it on a dementor?"

"Yes," Harry moved forward, but Mel could see he was going through something inside his head. 

At first, he was all in. Then his eyes shifted slightly, and the grip on his wand didn't seem as firm.

_Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled._

_A dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him —_

_"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto —"_

Harry stumbled backward, losing consciousness so abruptly that Mel and Lupin barely had time to step in and catch him before he hit his head. Lupin stood between them and the boggart, creating his own Patronus.

"Harry!" Mel laid her friend on the floor carefully, pushing the hair away from his face.

Harry jerked up, looking at his surroundings before a defeated expression made its way through.

"Sorry," he muttered, sitting up.

Mel put a hand on his back to support him and felt the cold sweat running down his back. It was too much for him, maybe they weren't as ready as they thought.

"Are you all right?" said Lupin.

"Yes..." Harry took her hand and stood up, leaning the rest of his weight on the desk next to them.

"Here —" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."

"It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort —"

"Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —" Lupin started, but Harry looked horrified at the idea.

"I do!" Harry put the whole frog in his mouth. "I've got to! What'f the dementors turn up at'r match against Ravenclaw? I can't affor' to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"

"Harry, the Quidditch Cup isn't our priority," Mel said worryingly. "It's about our safety, I don't want to visit you again in the hospital wing! And that's the most positive outcome I can think of!"

"All right then..." said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on... That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough..." 

Harry tried to step in again, but Mel put a hand on his shoulder.

"You need to take a moment, it's my turn now."

Harry sighed, he nodded quietly and sat back on top of the desk. Lupin gave him a second chocolate frog.

"You have your memory?" Lupin asked her kindly. 

"I think so," Mel agreed, focusing on the time they'd rescued Harry two summers ago.

"Go ahead," The Professor opened the case once more.

The boggart approached her, she thought briefly of her lessons with Dumbledore. She also thought (although with lots of embarrassment) of the way she felt when Harry smiled at her like she was the only who'd come to rescue him, and when he was the one who started the hug.

Suddenly, it wasn't only the memory of that night, it was every moment with him, when she met him and when they shared inner jokes, whenever Harry would choose her as his partner during class, and before she could help it, she thought of what she'd seen in the mirror...

_"Expecto patronum!"_

A soft, white pearly cloud scattered out of the tip of her wand, it was fragile, she tried to keep it going as long as she could, her heart hammering against her chest and her cheeks turning scarlet thanks to the realization that her happy memory was just... _Harry_.

The boggart moved away, shielding its face from the dim light. Lupin stepped in to help her, and he managed to return the creature back into the case.

"Well done, Mel," Lupin stared at her. "You really are a skilled witch, have someone told you that?"

"Once or twice," She replied with modesty, avoiding Harry's eyes at all cost. "I'm just dedicated to my lessons..."

"You are," Harry told her. "Your memory must've been strong... It looks like you finally found a way to outdo me!"

He meant that as a joke, but Mel felt even more self-conscious, mumbling something about luck.

"Your turn," Lupin said, looking at Harry.

* * *

Her friend tried two more times, and she tried just one more. Mel was good at it but had to work on pushing aside the mixed feelings about having Harry as her happy memory. If she didn't, she would never be able to cast a proper Patronus.

Lupin had accidentally let slip that he knew Harry's dad. He had glanced at her, probably afraid she'd throw a tantrum about it, but she already knew, she was expecting him to be part of the group, if he was her uncle without being blood-related, that only meant he was a close friend of her parents.

Mel was getting better about this whole 'controlling' her emotions, it was easier when she tried to look at the situations from a different point of view. In this case, it was her uncle's, and he probably was having a hard time hearing the son of two of his best friends having to relive their deaths.

Harry was extremely quiet when they left the classroom, she understood how hard it was for him as well, and she actually felt slightly guilty about doing so well on their lessons when he was struggling so much.

The thing was, Mel wasn't so sure Harry was actually struggling, she had a feeling it was more about _wanting_ to cast it.

"Harry?" She tried to get his attention, stopping halfway to their tower. "I think I know... It must kill you, hearing their voices every time, but the voices... is not them, Harry. There's... You can have them in your mind in better ways."

Harry looked at her with a small frown, she was ready to hear him snap at her, instead, he took a deep breath, nodding slowly.

"They're dead," he said, sounding somehow bitter. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. I'd better get a grip on myself if I want that Quidditch Cup." 

"That's the spirit, Glasses," She stroked his arm gently. "We should go back to the tower if we don't want Filch to scream at us again."

"Let's go..."

* * *

Harry got the Firebolt back a few days before the match against Ravenclaw, he looked happier than he'd been for the past weeks, and when he told Ron that they ought to make peace with Hermione, she felt just as happy.

Her reunions with Erick and Hermione were definitely going to end, but she thought it was better this way. Hermione, though she was starting to speak more directly to Erick from time to time, wasn't too pleased about it, perhaps having her two friends back was going to make things better.

"I got it back," Harry smiled brightly at Hermione, standing in front of her and holding the broom in his arms.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" Ron pointed.

_"Well — there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"_

_"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs —"_

_"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."_

_He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase._

_"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione._

_"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair._

Harry and Mel sat in front of her, taking a long look at all the books scattered around the table.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her. 

"Oh, well — you know — working hard," Hermione mumbled.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked.

"I couldn't do that!" 

"You have to, at some point," Mel shook her head. "When the exams come you won't have time for all of this, you can't study so many subjects at a time!"

"Arithmancy looks terrible," Harry offered.

"Oh no, it's wonderful! It's my favorite subject! It's —"

A strangled scream came from upstairs, causing the whole room to fall silent. Mel watched in dread as Ron came back, holding his bedsheets.

"LOOK! LOOK!" He put the sheets right in front of their faces.

"Ron, what — ?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS! BLOOD! HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N — no..."

Cat hair, more specifically, _ginger_ cat hair.

It took a great deal to calm Hermione that night. 

At first, she was fuming, pacing around the room saying the boys were always trying to blame everything on her, and how she didn't have time for silly fights. Then she stopped, abruptly erupted into tears, and said she had too much to handle to now carry the guilt of Ron's rat in her mind. 

Mel, Lavender, and Parvati all sat on her bed and encouraged her to stay focused on the important things, what some boys had to say about her cat wasn't important, and she needed to get some sleep. They convinced her to go to bed, but Mel heard her toss and turn for another hour.

* * *

"You should've seen him," She grimaced. "It was awful..."

"Didn't you say the rat was old?" Erick glanced over his book. "It would've died anyway..."

"Yeah, but the thing is that it didn't die on its own," She saw the look Hermione was giving her and quickly corrected. "This is about Ron losing the one thing that was his and only his, he must be feeling so miserable... What would you do if suddenly Cassiopeia died?"

"I'd buy another owl," Erick shrugged.

"Well, Ron doesn't have the money to just buy another rat, not if Crookshanks is going to keep on chasing them," She gave a pointed look to Hermione. "You can't deny he did do that, not even Grey chased Scabbers like that–"

"It wasn't my fault!" Hermione snapped, closing her book and slamming it against the table. 

Erick looked around nervously.

"Let's not yell inside the library, all right?" He asked in a tense voice. "I don't want Pince kicking us out."

"What a shame must be for you to be seen kicked out of the library with two Gryffindors," Hermione hissed.

"I didn't say that," He frowned. "You're upset, I won't humor your attempts to start a fight with me, but you have to calm down or we won't be able to help you."

Mel and Erick had been spending the last two weeks trying to help the girl to move faster through her work, which was too much to handle. Erick had proved himself to be good at it, he lacked patience and sometimes answered a bit too harshly if Hermione confused the topics, but overall he seemed to be trying his best.

"Anyway, Harry's planning to take Ron to their last Quidditch practice and let him fly around on his broom..."

"Even if I'm not a huge fan, I admit I'd like to see the broom in action," Erick said thoughtfully. "If Harry is as good as you say, you might even have chances to win the Cup." 

"Harry's good," She inmediately replied. 

"I prefer to hear an opinion from someone who doesn't look at him as if he were the next Merlin," Erick smirked. "What'd you think, Hermione?"

They froze, his smile faded while Mel's only grew. It was the first time he'd called her _'Hermione'_ instead of _'Miss Granger'_ , or just addressing her with a look when he asked a question. It sounded so casual and normal coming out of his mouth than even Hermione looked slightly out of balance.

"I-uh-" She cleared her throat, her voice coming out shier than usual. "I'd say he's quite good..."

Erick made an attempt to talk but caught Mel's expression of joy and closed his mouth again. Frowning, he replied with a dry _'Good. Let's continue.'_ and fixed his eyes on the pages of the book.

* * *

She let Ron have the first go with the broom, he needed it more than she did, but by the time he came back down and handed it to her, she could barely hold back her excitement.

"Ready?" Harry grinned at her.

"Ready."

Mel kicked the ground once and felt the air passing through her hair, it was fresh and reinvigorating, she loved every second. It felt like it lasted ages before she felt her legs starting to get tired from the position.

"How was it?" Harry asked her once she came back down.

"Absolutely fantastic! Flying is by far one of my favorite things about being a witch," She smiled brightly at him, handing the broom back to Ron. "Maybe I could try to join the team one day?"

"I'd like that a lot," Harry agreed, grinning just as widely.

"You two make me vomit," Ron rolled his eyes, laughing at the outrage that his comment caused on both of them.

* * *

Mel was more than happy to see Malfoy's face twist in disbelief when he saw Harry walk in holding the Firebolt.

Many students got closer to check the broom, even the famous Cedric Diggory approached to congratulate Harry on acquiring such a fine piece. She finally took a good look at him, and understood why so many students had crushes on him, he was truly attractive.

However, her thoughts were soon cut short when Malfoy decided to visit their table as well.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" He asked in a nasty tone.

"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry, unaffected by his presence and happily drinking his pumpkin juice.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, pushing further. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a dementor."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed quietly, but Harry didn't mind.

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you." 

Mel choked on her food, and it took her a moment to breathe normally again.

When they left the table and hurried to the stands, Mel saw that the students going to watch the game were more than the usual, probably wanting to see the Firebolt in action. It took a moment for both teams to go out to the field and stand face to face.

"That must be their seeker, the one facing Harry," Ron pointed out. "She's even smaller than him!"

Mel watched her from her seat but couldn't see much since the girl had her back to her. She could see Harry, though, and she noticed the exact moment when he saw eye to eye with the girl, and his face turned scarlet red, a shy smile playing on his lips.

It was the first time she'd seen a reaction like that on her friend, but she brushed it off, thinking it was maybe the anxiety of having to play against a girl for the first time.

He had a good reason to be nervous, Mel soon found out. Chang was good, almost as fast, probably would've been just as fast if it wasn't because her broom was way older than Harry's, but Gryffindor was scoring relentlessly, and she trusted things would go alright.

Harry noticed the snitch near a post and dived to get it, but Chang was quick to intercept and forced him to give a sharp turn in order to avoid crashing against her.

"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" She heard Wood's angry voice. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!" 

"Gentleman?" Mel scoffed. "He was trying not to break his neck!"

"She's pretty, though, isn't she?" Ron asked with a teasing smile. "Harry might found that distracting."

_No, he wouldn't._ She thought instantly, but then... what if he did?

"Oh, Merlin..." Mel whispered in dread. "You think he likes her?"

Ron looked at her as if she was losing her mind.

"Like her? She's the Ravenclaw seeker!"

"So what?" She insisted. "You said she's pretty!"

"Yeah, but Harry likes– OH, HE'S SEEN IT!" Ron jumped excitedly from his seat and leaned further on the stand.

Harry had dived towards the ground, and the girl was flying close behind him. He was faking it, though. As soon as he was low enough he flew back up and redirected his broom. The poor Ravenclaw girl barely had time to stop before crashing face-first against the grass.

Harry did see the snitch after that, and he was flying as fast as he could to get it.

"Go Harry! You can do it!" She screamed, holding tightly to Ron's arm.

"Oh no!" Ron gasped.

Three large, hooded figures appeared under them, they were all looking at Harry.

The boy, full of adrenaline, barely stopped moving forward to roar _'EXPECTO PATRONUM!'_ and managed to create something, though Mel couldn't tell what it was, it was big and as bright as the sun.

Harry kept going without waiting to see, and in less than ten seconds, he had a firm grip around the snitch.

"HE GOT THE SNITCH!"

"HE GOT IT!"

"WE WON!"

Ron and Mel jumped around in excitement and rushed over to the field, leading a group of overexcited Gryffindors to congratulate their seeker.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Ron held Harry's arm up in the air, the one that was holding the snitch.

Mel could've kissed him right there and then. It was with that thought that she shook her head, shivers running down her spine by just the bare thought of actually kissing her best friend.

"That was quite some Patronus," Lupin's voice caught her attention, and she saw him stand right next to Harry.

"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they — er — weren't dementors," said Professor Lupin, holding back a smile. "Come and see —"

He led Harry and Mel out of the crowd until they were able to see far to the end of the field.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin. 

Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, were laying on the ground, tangled on some huge black robes. Standing next to them, were Professor McGonagall... and Erick. The boy was having a hard time trying not to laugh at his brother, still attempting to get out of the robes.

"An unworthy trick!" McGonagall was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!" 

Erick found Mel and Harry standing there, and he nodded shortly. His laughter finally making its way through when Marcus tripped over his own feet while trying to stand.

Ron soon joined in and watched gleefully as the Slytherins fought their way out of there. Harry was beaming, happy and proud of his own work.

"You were brilliant," Mel nudged his arm, then trying to sound as casual as possible, she added: "Chang was quite a rival, huh?"

"Who?" Harry turned to her with a distracted smile, clearly unaware of what she was talking about.

"Nothing!" She said immediately, putting one arm around his shoulders. "I was just saying you did a great job!"

"Thank you!" Harry grinned, putting his own arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

"Right," said Harry, pulling Mel with him. 


	14. No More Fighting.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps it was for the best, she didn't want to hurt Ginny by somehow making her believe they were competing or something, and she certainly didn't want to change how things were with Harry.

Mel spent half of the party keeping Hermione company amongst the chaos, she had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was even messier than normal. Harry caught sight of the girls and got nearer with a gentle approach so he wouldn't upset Hermione.

"Hi..."

"Hello," Hermione mumbled tiredly.

_"Did you even come to the match?" He asked her._

_"Of course I did," said Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."_

_"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet._

_"I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in."_

_There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them —"_

_Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight._

Mel got up immediately, giving him a reassuring look.

"I'll take care of her, go talk to Ron."

She found Ginny halfway up the stairs, she'd seen Hermione running to her room crying, and she also wanted to help. When they entered Hermione was sitting in her bed, her book opened in front of her, but her mind clearly elsewhere as silent tears ran down her face.

"Mione?" Mel sat beside her, Ginny followed suit.

"My hands are full right now," Hermione sniffed, drying her tears with the back of her hand. "Would you mind if we save the talk for later?"

"Hermione, you can't reschedule your emotions... you can't, can you?" Ginny looked at Mel with doubt.

"Listen," Mel moved forward, putting the book away. "I know you always say I'm too forgiving with the boys but the truth is I've always stood up for you when it's fair. It's just that right now I don't know what's gotten into you that you just won't admit that Crookshanks was chasing Scabbers around, I mean, really–"

"This isn't about Ron and his stupid rat!" Hermione cried. "I already told you, I have my hands full! I can't and I won't apologize, all right? I can't be chasing Crookshanks around, I've got homework to do, and we've got to help Hagrid with Buckbeak and I... I'm so tired!"

She really did look exhausted, if she kept putting herself under all the weight of so many responsibilities, she was bound to fail at each and every one.

"Hermione, you need to sleep," Mel said.

"I will, I just have to finish–"

"No, you'll sleep right now," She took the book and put it over her nightstand. "Or talk, you can talk to us, but you won't do any of this tonight, you need to release some pressure."

"I have too many things to do..."

"Bloody hell, Hermione, just quit some!" Mel groaned in frustration. "I know you loath divination, it's no use for you, and muggle studies is just slowing you down, it doesn't matter how interesting it is, Eri-" She stopped, not wanting to mention him in front of Ginny. "Er- our study partner takes that class and if you're truly curious to know, he could talk a little about what he'd seen in class every week, but you don't have to burden yourself with things you can't handle."

"I can handle it, I'm smart and... and I won't give up on being the top of the class!"

"You already are," Mel affirmed lovingly, putting both hands on her shoulders. "Everyone knows that, hell, even everyone on Ginny's year knows that!"

"It's true," Ginny was quick to reply. "The teachers are always praising you, all except Snape but I've never heard him say a kind word not even about the rest of the staff."

"See? You can be the best and still have free time!" She smiled. "We're only trying to help, 'Mione. We're your friends..."

Hermione sat in silence for a moment. Then, with the smallest voice she could muster, she asked them:

"You think Ron'll ever be my friend again?"

Ginny and Mel shared a look, they had to be very careful with their next words.

"Ron's a good boy," Ginny was the first to speak. "He has a terrible temper, but so does Mel and you're still friends with her."

"Thanks a lot, Gin."

"I mean," Ginny grinned. "He won't stay mad forever!"

"Yeah, and Harry wouldn't condone it either," Mel patted her arm. "He appreciates you a lot."

"He likes Ron more..."

"He likes me more," Mel raised a brow. "Or– Uh... well, I like to think he does... I was his friend first– Anyway! I know Harry wants to be your friend, so this will pass."

"Harry really is good," Ginny huffed, supporting her head on one hand. "I wish I wouldn't just lose it every time he talks to me."

"You know, Harry's oblivious," Mel replied. "He won't think you're trying to get his attention or anything if you just talk to him as if he were, well, just a boy."

"She's right," Hermione sniffed, finally stopping her crying. "Meet more people, perhaps even if you stop paying attention to Harry he'll start noticing you..."

Both girls gave their friend a tight hug and returned to the party so she could rest.

"What do you think?"

"About what?" Mel tilted her head.

"Should I stop paying attention?"

Mel wanted to answer, but instead, her brain asked the same question.

_Should I stop paying attention to Harry?_

Perhaps it was for the best, she didn't want to hurt Ginny by somehow making her believe they were competing or something, and she certainly didn't want to change how things were with Harry.

"I think that if you were to treat Harry as you treat the rest of us, he'd see how cool you really are," She replied honestly.

* * *

Mel was tossing around in bed, trying to fall asleep although her body still buzzed like it wanted to get up and keep up laughing at the twins' funny conversations.

She sat up in bed, thinking about going back downstairs and just sit and gaze at the dying fire when a scream made her jump so abruptly she fell off her bed.

_"ARGHH! NOOOOOOO!"_

She heard the sound of tiny gasps and things falling around her, the rest of her roommates waking up as well to the sound.

"What was that?" 

She ran to the door without explaining, outside she heard frantic voices she couldn't quite understand and left the room without putting on her nightgown.

There at the bottom of the stairs, she found all of her male classmates. Ron was paler than usual, even with the dim light of the room, she could tell he was shaking.

"What's happening?" She stood next to Dean.

"Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

Students started to come out of their dormitories, the scream had woken up the whole tower.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"

"I'm telling you, I saw him!"

"Saw who?" Mel frowned.

"Ron says Black tried to attack him with a knife," Neville shuddered.

"He _what?!"_ Mel got nearer, examining the boy, "Are you hurt?"

"What's all the noise?"

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Fred appeared at the top of the stairs, so joyful Mel suspected he hadn't been sleeping either. 

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy.

"Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron pushing Mel aside. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

"Nonsense!" said Percy. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"

"I'm telling you —"

"Did you see anything, Glasses?" Mel had moved nearer to where Harry was standing. 

The boy shook his head, his tousled hair the only proof of his short sleep.

"I woke up to him screaming, I didn't see anything..."

The voices rose to a point where almost everyone was asking questions, McGonagall appeared thinking the party was still going.

"Now, really, enough's enough! I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor! I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron's face was now a scarlet red. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing at the back of the portrait. "Ask him if he saw —" 

The woman, though hesitant, went back to the portrait and opened it.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?" 

"Certainly, good lady!"

Mel gasped quietly, finding Harry's arm and clinging to it.

"You — you did? But — but the password!" McGonagall stammered.

"He had 'em! Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

There was a deafening silence when their Professor went back into the common room.

"Which person... which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

She heard the faintest sound of someone squeaking behind her, and as the whole group pf students quietly gasped and started a whole, new mayhem, Neville raised his hand.

* * *

She felt as if her entire existence consisted of comforting her friends.

Well, not all of them. 

Ron was having the time of his life, being the center of attention. Hermione had worsened at this, not at the fact that he had gone famous, but at the idea of them still on bad terms and him almost getting killed. 

Mel found her hands full. Dumbledore started to give her more and more lessons, and she now made sure to stay around Neville so he didn't have to wait outside the tower for someone to open the door for him (he'd been forbidden from knowing the passwords after losing them) and the Fat Lady was back, but only because they had given her a group of trolls to guard her. Mel wasn't fond of those, and she didn't want Neville spending that much time with them either, so she grew closer to the boy.

That meant two things: One, she didn't have free time to help Hagrid with Buckbeak. Two: Her study lessons with Erick and Hermione were on hiatus. That annoyed her a great deal since she felt that it was the only time where no one expected anything from her, just for her to listen and give an opinion if asked.

Mel couldn't split in two, and now she had to split herself in three if not four or five pieces. 

She also heard about Hagrid's reunion with Harry and Ron, he'd asked them to apologize, make peace with Hermione, but Harry said Ron was completely against it.

Mel wasn't sure if that meant Harry was also against it, but he certainly didn't look worried. She knew he was planning on going back to Hogsmeade and for the first time, she didn't want him to go. It was dangerous enough to leave him alone in the castle, she didn't want to think about what could possibly happen to him at a public place where no one was watching.

Hermione didn't go to Hogsmeade, she was planning to finish her schoolwork. She encouraged Mel to go find Ron as she would be too distracted to chat anyway.

"I hope we're just enjoying the view and not waiting for Harry to come out of the store under that cloak of his," She stood in front of Ron with her arms crossed.

The boy had refused to move from the entrance of Honeydukes, looking around as if looking for something- or _someone_.

"Of course, isn't it a brilliant morning?" He asked with a smug smile.

"Of course..." Mel rolled her eyes. "I won't tell, I want to stay and hang with you if you don't mind, Hermione is doing homework, she told me to come and find you."

"She really knows how to overkill it," Ron replied.

"She's doing her best," Mel corrected. "When are you going to let this thing go? She's been miserable!"

"When she decides to throw away her cat!"

"Oh, sod off, honestly..." She scoffed.

"Bet she musn't feel that miserable if she still agrees to go to your reunions with dearest Erick," He spat.

Mel widened her eyes.

"Don't talk about them like that!"

"You promised you would tell Harry!" He hissed back, walking closer to her. "You haven't and now you're also involving Hermione, what if he tries to hurt her?"

"So you worry about her well being?" Mel raised her brow. "Worry not, Erick's as harmless as a puppy."

"Yeah, a Grim-looking one..." He mumbled.

"Well, so far the only one who's yelled at Hermione has been you, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak ill of my friends," She hissed. 

They stood in angry silence until Harry appeared, or more like spoke up so Ron could notice him.

"What kept you?" Ron grumbled.

"Snape was hanging around..."

"Let's hope that cloak keeps you safe enough," Mel frowned, following the sound of his voice. "I'm not planning on losing my best friend on such a _brilliant morning..."_

Ron groaned. They remained civil for the sake of their enjoyment, she could say all she wanted about Ron, but somehow they always managed to not fight at the extend he used to fight with Hermione, or her with Harry.

They walked around town, taking Harry to the places he hadn't seen, their last stop being the Shrieking Shack. Mel had her hand softly holding onto Ron's arm, her mood improving after chatting with Harry. She wouldn't admit it, but she'd missed them lots.

"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it," Ron leaned on the fence with Mel and Harry standing next to them. "I asked Nearly Headless Nick... he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut..."

"There's an entrance under the Whomping Willow," Mel said. "I hope they're not trying to enter through that one, it'd be extremely stupid."

"It sounds like something they'd definitely do."

They heard voices approaching. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle where there. Mel let out a groan of exasperation.

"Great, I was having too much fun..."

"...should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm... about how I couldn't use it for three months..."

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled.

"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself. . . 'There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest —' ...that hippogriff's as good as dead —"

Malfoy saw the two kids and stopped, smiling wickedly.

"What are you doing?"

Malfoy looked up at the abandoned house.

"Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room — is that true?" He glanced at Mel. "Or perhaps you're the one trying to move here? I've heard lunatics enjoy laying on their own filth–" 

Ron tried to move forward, but Mel held his arm tighter.

"Don't humor him."

"Leave him to me," Harry whispered.

She knew right away what he was planning, and she made zero attempts to stop her friend from doing so.

"We were just discussing your friend Hagrid," Malfoy said to them. "Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his hippogriff's —"

_**SPLAT.** _

Malfoy's head got covered in mud from the back.

"What the — ?"

Just the look on his face was enough to make up for the awful weeks she'd been having, Ron doubled in laughter and she watched with the biggest of grins as the three Slytherins fought the invisible forces attacking them.

"What was that? Who did that?"

"Very haunted up here, isn't it?" Ron asked casually to her. Mel cackled.

**_SPLAT._ **

"It came from over there!" said Malfoy pointing at his left side. 

Crabbe tried, of course. He ran to the place Malfoy was pointing but Harry kept attacking mercilessly. However, when Crabbe made an attempt to step towards them, he tripped on something, and for the briefest second, she saw Harry's head floating mid-air.

"AAARGH!" Malfoy screeched.

He ran away with Crabbe and Goyle close behind.

"Harry!" Ron said, horrified. "You'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone — you'd better get back to the castle, quick —"

"We'll try to help," Mel assured him.

"See you later," She heard him say. 

Ron turned to her in utter horror.

"What do we–?"

"Run!" She pushed him forward. "Come on! We'll think of something once we're back in the castle! I'll figure it out!"

* * *

When they reached Snape's office they could barely speak.

"I — gave — Harry — that — stuff," Ron choked, remembering what Mel had told him. "Bought — it . . . in Zonko's . . . ages — ago . . ."

"Well!" Lupin was there, for some reason. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" Mel noticed he was holding the Marauders' map, and he folded it and tucked it inside his robes. "You three come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus —"

None of them spoke until they reached the entrance hall.

"Professor, I —"

"I don't want to hear explanations," He interrupted, way more seriously than he usually talked to them. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map– I don't want to know how it fell into your possession." At this, he briefly looked at Harry and Mel as if he knew exactly how, though. "I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back."

"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?" Harry asked to Mel's astonishment.

"Because... because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining." He, once again, glanced between Harry and Mel like he was keeping information.

"Do you know them?" said Harry.

"He does," Mel retorted, recognizing the little quirks her uncle used to make when he was lying.

"We've met," he said shortly. "Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

"It's my fault," said Ron after a while. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —"

"It was not," Mel shook her head. "It was bound to happen, we've all been foolish–"

She stopped, Hermione appeared in front of them, holding a piece of paper and looking absolutely distraught.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"No," She replied with a shaky voice. "I just thought you ought to know... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed." 

"No!" Mel gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.

"He — he sent me this," Hermione held out the letter.

Harry took it and Mel read it beside him.

_**'Dear Hermione,** _

**_We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed._ _Beaky has enjoyed London._ _I won't forget all the help you gave us._**

_**Hagrid.'** _

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't– Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," Hermione pouted. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed."

Mel was about to reply when Ron stepped forward heatedly.

"Yeah, it will. You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

The girl beamed at his offer.

"Oh, Ron!"

Hermione threw her arms around Ron and cried harder. Ron, turning bright red on his ears patted the top of her head clumsily. 

"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." Hermione continued.

"Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, and he relaxed instantly when she broke apart. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now." 

Mel and Harry shared a knowing look, clearing their throats to avoid laughing. 


	15. The Final Push.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Harry's birthday today!! I feel obliged to post lmao -Danny

Hagrid was absolutely crushed after the news, he wanted Buckbeak to live so badly, he couldn't bring himself to keep an optimistic attitude. The words of encouragement had soon worn out, and all they could do was assure him that they'd do everything to give him a strong defense.

_They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively._

_"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that..."_

_Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief._

_"Look at him blubber!"_

_Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening._

_"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"_

_Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!_

_She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again._

_"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"_

_"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back._

_"Get off, Ron!"_

With all certainty, Mel would keep that memory as one of the best from her time at Hogwarts.

She was standing behind Harry and Ron, covering her mouth in shocked amusement, pride swelling on her chest as she watched the look of utter fear on Malfoy while Hermione pulled out her wand.

"Wands off, 'Mione!" Mel warned her. "If you attack Malfoy with _magic_ you'll get in trouble. However, as of now... one tiny smack means nothing..."

"You made that up," Malfoy sneered.

"Perhaps," She stepped forward. "Would you like to be the one to confirm it?"

"C'mon," Malfoy hissed at Crabbe and Goyle, rushing towards the dungeons. 

"Hermione!" Ron gasped again.

"Wasn't she the best?" Mel snickered.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione cried. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," said Ron clumsily. "We'd better go."

"I've never been more proud in my life!" Mel exclaimed, but a sudden worry caused her to frown. "Well, maybe just once– That time when we rescued Harry with the Ford Anglia... Hey, Erick's gonna love this story!" 

She whispered the last thing to Hermione only, who mouthed a _'Don't you dare!'_ as a response.

"You're late!" said Professor Flitwick when they got to the classroom. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"

"Oh, lovely!" She smiled. "'Mione, let's pair–" 

She turned around, finding an empty spot where her friend had been standing seconds ago. 

"Hey, where's Hermione?"

Harry and Ron turned without slowing down. 

"That's weird," said Harry, sitting down next to Ron while Mel sat behind them. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?" 

"She would've waited," The girl replied. "I don't see Hermione turning around after just arriving without asking for permission..."

* * *

She got paired with Neville, who was glad to have her as his partner, so much that he managed to succeed after the second try. She made sure to congratulate him lots about it. They walked together to the Great Hall, which was lucky, considering Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle arrived at the same time. 

They threw menacing looks towards Neville and he squirmed beside her, Mel held each of their gazes while guiding her friend to their table.

"You shouldn't worry about them for now," She told him. "Want advice? Stay around Hermione, I assure you they'll want to stay as far as possible from her."

"Why?" He asked while sitting at the table.

"Hermione slapped him," Mel said gleefully, taking a plate. 

"What?" George's voice pipped up from her left. He was sitting in front of her, next to his brother and Lee Jordan. "Hermione _slapped_ someone? Who?"

"Please, tell me it was Ron," Fred said, taking a huge bite of his food.

"Blimey, thanks for the good wishes..." Ron scoffed, sitting next to Neville and her.

"Way better," She leaned on the table and whispered with excitement. "She slapped Malfoy!"

_"WHAT?"_ The three boys exclaimed, Lee Jordan even choked on his pumpkin juice.

"It was by far the most glorious moment of the whole year."

"You're telling me that for the first time ever, you didn't start a fight–" George pointed at her with a chicken leg. "And Hermione Granger was the first to throw a punch?"

"Hell must be freezing," Mel chortled.

"I can't believe it," Neville said. "Where is she right now?"

"Watching her back if she's clever," Fred raised a brow. "I don't expect Malfoy to go and tell the rest of his peers about this, but if they found out, Pansy will go after her."

"And I will gladly glue her arse to the spot," Mel replied.

Fred, George, and Lee Jordan laughed. Ron, Harry, and Neville stared at her with wide eyes.

"You can't," Said Neville. "It would start a war!"

"Don't worry about it," She grinned. "They're all cowards, won't get in a fight they know they can't win."

"Remember what Dumbledore told you," Harry replied. "You can't let your emotions take–"

"I know, I know," She brushed it off with a lazy hand movement. "It was a joke, I'm not going to actively look or start any fights."

"See that?" George turned to his brother. "Looks like the lady's actually starting to act like one."

"Such a shame," Fred shook his head. "Soon enough she'll be made a Prefect and won't be funny at all!"

"Don't be mean!" Mel argued, and she didn't know what offended her most, being called 'not funny' or being called a true lady.

* * *

When they arrived at the common room, they found Hermione sleeping the afternoon away, both boys sat on each side while Mel stood in front of them, examining the papers scattered around the table.

Harry nudged her shoulder and Hermione jolted awake.

_"Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?_

_"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"_

_"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"_

_"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"_

_"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"_

_"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."_

_"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!"_

_Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed._

_"I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!"_

"I'll help you study next time we go to the library," Mel patted her shoulder.

They climbed up the divination classroom, sitting together in a small table, a crystal ball right in the middle of it.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry said. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands." 

"Well, Glasses, I'd flinch too– they're so skinny and pale they look like a vampire's!" Mel teased, gaining a soft kick on the leg.

"Good day to you!" Professor Trelawney approached them, appearing from the shadows. "I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned, the fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Hermione snorted.

"Well, honestly... _'the fates have informed her'_... who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" She said loud and clear. Harry, Mel, and Ron tried (and failed) to keep their sniggers unnoticed. 

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," Their Professor continued. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes, so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."

They sat for twenty boring minutes in silence, trying to see things that were clearly not there.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione scoffed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" Trelawney walked past them.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

The children's guards were down, and they burst out laughing at Ron's comment.

"Now, really!" The woman stood before them in annoyance. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!"

Mel watched as Trewlaney got closer to them, examining the crystal ball carefully.

"There is something here! Something moving... but what is it? My dear, it is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr —"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione, causing the girl to jump beside her. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane." The woman stood up again, her indignation clear.

"Fine!" Hermione got up and threw her book in the bag with rage. "Fine! I give up! I'm leaving!"

And with that, Hermione moved to the trapdoor, opened it with a hard kick, and disappeared.

Mel turned to the boys and mouthed, _'Never been more proud, I swear...'_

"Ooooo!" Lavender exclaimed from her chair. "Oooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"

Professor Trelawney wouldn't let that pass, of course.

"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs... The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know..."

"The inner eye can also be loads of– _Ouch!"_ She hissed, Harry had pinched her arm. 

"Don't make her kick you out too," He whispered.

"Some day Hermione's having, eh?" Ron muttered to them, he looked amazed at their friend's actions.

"Yeah..." 

_The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one._

_"Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"_

_But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears._

_Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks._

_Harry, meanwhile, had to fit in his homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points._

Mel was surprisingly well, she found her lessons enrapturing, and since her exams were approaching, Dumbledore decided to give her a break from their own private lessons, explaining that she was doing a wonderful job and she didn't need to be pressured, having more important things to attend.

She tried to help her friends in the meantime, Neville and Hermione especially. Fred and George from time to time, who were (not so seriously, but still seemed worried about it) study sessions for their O.W.L.S– and though she didn't know much, she convinced them to make cards she could use to ask them questions. They didn't want to, but she insisted so much that they ended up accepting her help, and it seemed to be working. Next time she sat down to help them, Lee Jordan and Angelica were also there.

The only person who seemed to not need her help was Erick. He still attended their study sessions but instead of helping he would keep his eyes glued to his own work the whole time, silently taking notes on a notebook Mel had given him as a Christmas present (she'd also given him a nice muggle pen that Erick thought was the best thing to exist) and mumbling incoherent thoughts while turning the pages.

He wanted to be a Prefect, and he wanted to get there as the only, _the indisputable winner_ of his year. When Mel asked him why was he so eager about it, he looked at her with a stare that caused her to shiver as he replied:

"No one messes with a Prefect."

"No one messes with _you_ ," She raised a brow. "I've seen the Slytherins of your year, they revolve around you like moths–"

He brushed it off like it meant nothing. 

"Worship from some kids does not equal the freedom and power that being made a Prefect would give me."

"Sounds like something a villain would say..."

"Whatever," He shrugged. 

* * *

The Quidditch final stood before them as the final straw to break everyone's nerves. Erick and Mel cut off their study sessions because they certainly couldn't risk being found together in such a heavy time. Students were almost always fighting each other, trying to attack Harry or Malfoy, or any other members of the teams.

The night before the game passed in a dream-like state. Fred and George had so much energy that they looked like rubber balls jumping from one side to the other, making jokes without stopping. 

Mel was laughing a lot, she even thought about sneaking to the kitchens (the twins had given her the directions since her first year) and ask for a bunch of food for her and the rest of her friends to calm them down, but it didn't look like the best idea, she didn't want them to get sick.

The twins were loving the attention, it clearly distracted them from their own worries, but they weren't the only friends she had on the team. Soon enough she sat next to Harry, who looked paler and perhaps even smaller than usual. Mel tried to find the rights words but nothing came to her mind, she sat there until Wood asked the team to go to bed.

People made a fuss when the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall, they cheered and applauded, the Slytherins throwing insults and all– At least they weren't fighting _violently_ now. Wood refused to eat but urged the rest of the kids to finish their breakfast. 

Just as they were leaving, Mel realized she hadn't wished Harry good luck, (it was the first final he'd be playing, after all) and though she could've done it once he was in the dressing room, she saw Cho Chang wishing him good luck from Ravenclaw's table and Harry blushing wildly at this, so she _obviously_ had to do something.

"Harry!" She ran up to him, pushing her words out of her mouth before she could think it twice. "You got this. You'll win. Good luck." She placed a quick kiss to his cheek.

The former redness of his cheeks meant nothing compared to the way his whole face flushed a deep scarlet after her public show of affection. The whole Gryffindor table whistled and clapped, not helping to their embarrassment. She avoided the twins' eyes and made sure not to look at the rest of the students' faces. 

Merlin, why was she so impulsive?

She rushed back to where Ron and Hermione were sitting, and Ron stared at her with a smirk.

"You're doing an awful job at keeping your crush a secret."

"Shut it," She hid her face with both hands. "I don't know why I did that..."

She knew, though. But she'd rather die before admitting she was jealous.

"Come on, we should get going," Hermione stood up. "Before people take the best seats..."

* * *

_"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! — SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"_

_Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight —_

_"OUCH!"_

_Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her._

_"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"_

_A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed._

_"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"_

_"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty._

_"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"_

"This is good," Mel assured her friends, though she meant it more for herself. "They only need to be fifty points ahead, thirty more, come on..."

_"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! — Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"_

"Nasty rats!" Once again, she was leaning against the edge of the stands. Hermione, used to this kind of behavior, was already holding the edge of the girl's robes tightly.

_"THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"_

_"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way — !"_

_"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"_

Harry suddenly launched forward to one end of the field and Malfoy followed suit. It was just to distract Malfoy, though, cause she caught a glimpse of something golden flying away on the opposite side to where Harry was heading.

_**WHOOSH.** _

_One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again —_

_**WHOOSH.** _

_The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in._

"They're going after him!" Mel exclaimed. 

She was about to pull her wand when Ron stopped her, Harry had turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, causing the beaters to collide against each other.

_"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save — !"_

_But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him._

_"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"_

It was a nasty show. Everyone had decided to play dirty, their morals long forgotten after what it seemed the tenth penalty of the hour. The score forty-ten to Gryffindor, only twenty more...

Katie scored next, and then both Slytherin beaters threw bludgers at Wood and got another penalty on their favor, now they were–

"Sixty-ten! Fred Weasley throws a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seizes it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten!" Lee Jordan continued.

"Any moment now!" Mel yelled over the deafening crowd. "You can do it, Harry!"

Harry suddenly shoot up to one corner, he was so close... so close...

"NO!"

Malfoy had grabbed a hold of the Firebolt's tail and was pulling it back.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!" Madam Hooch screeched.

"BLOODY BASTARD!" Mel was unable to stop herself. "WAIT TILL HE'S BACK ON THE GROUND, HERMIONE'S WILL BE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT I'LL DO TO HIM!"

_"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"_

_Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously._

_Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights._

_"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor... Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"_

The whole Slytherin team flew out of their way to get her, but Harry rushed over to her, and flew in across and between the girl and the other team, causing them to scatter in the air and helping Angelina to get the clearest shot of the whole game.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!" 

But Mel wasn't looking at the celebration, she was staring -completely terrified- at Malfoy, who had seen the snitch. 

"HE'S SEEN IT!" She pointed frantically. "GUYS!"

It all happened so fast Mel wished she could've recorded the whole thing. Harry dived forward at an alarming speed, he was getting there, right next to Malfoy, he did a quick movement to push him away and suddenly...

"YES!" 

He had it! 

_Harry had the snitch!_

Later most of her memories would be too blurry to understand, but somehow she'd managed to be the first to run from the stands towards the team, push them away from Harry, and held him tightly against her, shouting in ecstasy.

"You did it!" She moved only enough to see Harry's face without breaking the hug.

"I caught the snitch!" He replied just as happy.

"Malfoy's face! And the way you dodged the beaters! And when you helped Angelica!" She said excitedly. "It was so impressive!"

"All the team was!" Then, as if he'd just remembered, he added. "I think your good luck kiss really works!"

He meant that in a friendly way, of course. Perhaps slightly teasing, maybe he was so happy he hadn't even thought of what that meant for her. Either way, her emotions took the best of her a second time that day. It seemed that she couldn't resist when it came to Harry.

Mel pulled him close by the collar and kissed the corner of his mouth. 

Harry had moved his face without meaning to do it –taken by surprise by her sudden actions– and the kiss had landed there, startling both children for the fraction of a second. Before Mel could apologize, the rest of the supporters arrived and lifted Harry and the rest of the team on their shoulders, dragging them away.

Ron and Hermione pulled her along to follow where they were taking the team and watched McGonagall cry her eyes out next to Wood, even Percy had forgotten about appearances, jumping up and down and pointing to his brothers proudly. Wood passed the cup to Harry and he lifted it above his head, the screams growing impossibly louder. For the briefest second, Harry caught her eye. 

During a terrible moment, she thought he would look away. However, his smile only grew when he held her gaze, he looked like the handsome hero from her fairy tales, tousled hair and flushed cheeks, an absolutely fascinating sight. 

_Harry was as bright as the sun._

Mel had the feeling that things would never be the same. How could they, when her opinion about everything had shifted overnight?

"Is everything all right?" Hermione asked beside her, probably taking notice of her state.

She replied, a mix of happiness and terror in her voice:

"I think I'm in love."


	16. Buckbeak's Appeal.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione didn't understand, how did she know she was falling in love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would help the "aesthetic" if you were to listen 'Love Somebody' by Maroon 5 while reading this chapter -Danny

Mel had been pacing around the dormitory for five minutes, unable to put into words what she was going through. She sort of did it, but Hermione didn't understand, how did she know she was falling in love?

> **_I know your insides are feeling so hollow_ **   
>  **_And it's a hard pill for you to swallow, yeah_**

"Can you at least tell me what happened?" Hermione stood up in exasperation, interrupting her pacing.

Mel was originally going to say _'I don't know!'_ but her mouth blurted out something completely different.

"I almost kissed Harry!"

Hermione's frown grew.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean that's it?" She widened her eyes. "That's everything!"

"Mel, if you could see the way you're always ogling at him you'd think you're always trying to kiss him."

"What?! No! Not always– Not ever... Or do I? I mean, sometimes when... and he's so clever... Wait, no! I almost kissed Harry for real, I leaned in to hug him and he turned and I..." She felt the shivers running down her spine. "Our lips sort of touched, but not really..."

Her friend snorted, going back to her seat on the bed.

"What's so funny?" Mel huffed. "I'm in the middle of a crisis and you decide to have a laugh!"

"What'd you want me to say?" Hermione giggled. "Everyone knows you like him, and he likes you back– We're just waiting to see who's the first to give up and say you've got it bad for the other."

"That's the problem, 'Mione," Mel's lip quivered. "I don't know if I want to _'have it bad'_ for him..."

> **_But if I fall for you, I'll never recover_ **   
>  **_If I fall for you, I'll never be the same_**

"Why? He's your best friend, so far one of the most decent boys at school."

"Precisely," Mel sat on her own bed, hiding her face behind both hands. "He's my best friend– What if I'm just confused? What if I ruin a perfectly good friendship because I think there might be something and everything gets complicated–"

"You're overthinking," Hermione moved to sit on her bed, patting her knee lightly. "You and Harry have something special, I think it'd be worth the risks..."

"We're too young!"

"I'm not telling you to ask him to marry you!" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, we're still children but it wouldn't hurt to talk it out– at least let him know that if he thinks there's a possibility in the future... well, you're more than disposed to try."

Mel hugged her legs close to her chest and sighed. Was she ready to try? She's not even sure she's falling! This could be a new level of platonic appreciation, he's the oldest friend she has, maybe what she's feeling is normal?

_Right, wanting to kiss your best friend is a clear sign that you love having him as your best friend._

She shook her head, tired of the uncertainty.

"What if he doesn't want the same?" She asked quietly. "What if then he steps back and then I'm just another of his lovesick fans?"

"You could never be that," Hermione assured her. "Not with the way he talks about you."

"He talks about me?" Mel inquired with the smallest glimmer of hope. 

> **_I know we're only half way there_ **   
>  **_But you can take me all the way, if you take me all the way_**

"Yes," The girl smiled. "He _rambles_ – Ron has to shut him up because he could pass a whole hour talking about the new lessons you completed, or that funny thing you told him during lunch... when you're either with Dumbledore or... Erick," The name slipped easier out of her mouth, but still bitter on her tongue. 

This could mean many things, but all of them concluded on the same little thought: _He thinks about me._

* * *

Although this helped her a great deal with her embarrassment, she was incapable of spending time alone with him now, Mel would make up an excuse to walk the other way or Harry would mumble something about forgetting his quill. She didn't know if he was doing it out of kindness, maybe he could sense she was on edge.

Or perhaps, he was just as confused as her. 

> **_You're such a hard act for me to follow_ **   
>  **_Love me today don't leave me tomorrow, yeah_**

Harry was the normal amount of talkative with others on the daily, but there wasn't a day where they didn't share inner jokes or spend time ranting about something that annoyed them that day (usually Malfoy). However, after her mistake during the Quidditch final, things simply couldn't move forward with them.

The exams were right around the corner, and the common room was deadly quiet most days, with Fred and George finally deciding to take their studies seriously, the only distraction she had from time to time was Erick. Unfortunately, his friends were almost always accompanying him to the library to study, which had him in an awful mood and unable to join her table. With the arrival of their exams schedules, the realization that Mel was yet to find out how on earth was Hermione taking two tests every hour hit her. She didn't want to explain it to her, which made her terribly suspicious.

_"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"_

_"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."_

_"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry._

_"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"_

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron.

Mel let out a tiny giggle, locking eyes with Harry. 

Both kids snapped their heads in opposite directions, clearing their throats and pretending to be busy with something else. Luckily, Hedwig arrived immediately after.

"It's from Hagrid," said Harry, walking towards the window and taking the note his owl was offering to him. "Buckbeak's appeal — it's set for the sixth."

"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione.

"And they're coming up here to do it," Harry continued. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and — and an executioner."

Mel's thoughts of unrequited feelings disappeared, her outrage bigger than her shame.

"They what?!"

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!"

"Yeah, it does," said Harry bitterly.

"They can't!" Ron replied just as angry. "I've spent ages reading up on stuff for him; they can't just ignore it all!" 

* * *

They were ignoring all, though. The last day of their exams they run into the minister himself, the executioner, and the representative of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. It was endearing and all. 

Mel had the feeling that she'd done well enough in all her exams, even Potions. Her favorite was Defense Against the Dark Arts, a whole obstacle thingy– Her uncle made sure to tell her she'd made the full marks of it. She was quite proud of herself.

Their last test was Divination, and she had a jolly time throughout the whole fifteen minutes Trelawney forced her to sit down and stare into a crystal ball, decks of cards, a teacup, and her own hand.

_Not._

She stayed around to wait for the boys, but she'd forgotten that their Professor was alternating the names, so instead of being Harry the first one to pass, it was Ron.

They stood there awkwardly for about ten seconds in which Mel pondered what she should do. She could either be a child and run away from her own feelings, or she could move past them and take care of the actual important things they were dealing with, like Buckbeak's trial.

> **_I don't know where to start, I'm just a little lost_**

Mel let out a defeated sigh and walked over to her best friend, she leaned on the wall and slid to the floor, tired of not being able to act normal around him.

"Everything'll be all right," Harry tried to cheer her up, sitting down next to her. 

"I hope so, it's the first time I see Ron reading thousands of books so passionately," She chuckled lowly. "They still have one last chance."

She looked up and locked eyes with the boy, his stare was just as welcoming as always, even eager, it had been quite a while since they started avoiding each other.

"Glasses," She cleared her throat anxiously. "What I did during the Quidditch final..."

"You don't have–"

"I was euphoric and I acted out of impulse," She pressed on, ignoring him. "I am so sorry for making you uncomfortable– Please don't be upset, I promise it won't happen again."

She braced herself for the impact, hoping to see him visibly sigh and thank her for the apology, maybe even saying that he was afraid she was trying something when he clearly didn't want it. 

Harry's chest deflated and his brows knitted together when his mouth opened to speak. He didn't get to talk though, not at first, but when he saw the worried expression on her face he cleared his throat, nodding shortly. 

"It's okay, Mellow," He said with a small - _was it sad?_ \- smile. "I wasn't upset, just wondering why were you acting so oddly..."

"I thought I had stepped out of boundaries..."

"That must be the first time you care about those," Harry snorted.

Mel let out a tiny laugh, this time more comfortable. 

"Shut up," She shook her head. "We're still friends?"

> **_I don't know what to do, I'm right in front of you_ **   
>  **_Asking you to stay, you should stay, stay with me tonight, yeah_**

"Always," Harry smiled. "You won't get rid of me that easily, remember?"

Mel smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder and missing the look of mild pain in his eyes.

"Hey," She said, remembering something. "Why was Snape so pissed about the map? What did it do?"

"Why are you asking me about it?"

"Just curious, I've been meaning to ask you for a while now..."

"Well, at first nothing came up, but then words started to appear– they were insults towards Snape, all coming from the people that made the map: Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail, Prongs, _Ruddy_..." 

"Hmm," Mel's eyes narrowed. "I feel like I've heard those before..."

"Fred and George had the map first, maybe they told you about them?" The boy offered.

"Yeah," She yawned. 

* * *

Harry told them to go once their friend climbed down the stairs. Ron was so eager to start relaxing that he happily obliged, dragging Mel with him. Harry promised to join them after his examination.

"Let's play chess!"

"I'm awful at it," Mel huffed. "You'll win!"

"Gobstones?

"The winner gets to ask whatever they want from Hogsmeade the next time we go?"

They found Hermione in the common room, way more relaxed than before. 

"I'm so proud of you!" Mel sat down next to her, giving her the biggest hug. 

"I told you I could do it!" Hermione groaned, pushing her away lightly. "I told you!"

"It's different said than done," Mel grinned. 

One of the School's owls tapped on the window and she got up to open it, the owl dropped a piece of paper on Ron's lap and left just as soon as it had appeared.

"What does it say?" Mel rushed over to them, reading above Ron's head.

_**'Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it** _

_**Hagrid.'** _

"No!" Hermione gasped. 

"I can't believe it!" Mel flopped on the armrest, completely devastated. "Poor Buckbeak, poor Hagrid!"

Harry arrived at that moment, he was breathing harshly, for some reason he'd run all the way over to the tower.

"Professor Trelawney," He gasped, "just told me—"

But he stopped once he noticed their expressions.

"Buckbeak lost," Ron sounded deeply affected. "Hagrid's just sent this." 

Harry took the note and read quickly, his face fell.

"We've got to go," He said. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"Sunset, though," Ron looked out the window. "We'd never be allowed... 'specially you, Harry..."

Harry ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..."

"Where is it?" Hermione asked.

"Under the one-eyed witch– there's a passageway, but if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble."

"That's true, if he sees you..." She quietly got up. "How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You — you tap it and say, _'Dissendium,_ ' " said Harry. "But —"

Hermione held Mel's wrist and dragged her out of the common room.

"All right– Sure, I'll help," She said with amusement. "Are we seriously going to get Harry's cloak?"

"Shhh!" Hermione replied. "We ought to be with Hagrid, he needs us!"

"Merlin," Mel continued, jumping lightly. "Why so eager to break the rules, Miss Granger?"

"I'm not trying to break anything," She scoffed. "But they have been terribly injust to Hagrid, the least we can do is be there, besides I remember someone telling me I could do both, relax and be the best student?"

"That's true," She grinned. "You're a fast learner."

"Oh, bugger off," Hermione blushed.

Ten minutes later they found themselves standing in front of the witch. Mel kept an eye on the hall for any unwelcomed visitors while Hermione entered the passageway and quietly retrieved the cloak.

"All done?" 

"The cloak's safe," Hermione grunted, cleaning the dust off her hands as she stepped out of the statue.

"Cool, let's go!" She turned around only to see Faustus and another Slytherin boy coming their way. "Oh no! – Go back, go back!"

"Look!" She heard an unfamiliar voice say. "It's the nutt-head!"

"And the Know-it-all," Faustus replied with a nasty smirk. " _Alone_."

"Unlike you, we don't need to be guarded," Mel frowned. "Leave us alone–"

"We don't enjoy the company of scumb," He sneered. "But we got matters to attend with you..."

She heard Hermione gulped next to her, but both girls (tiny compared to the boys' height and size) stood their ground.

"What?" 

"You haven't apologized."

"Oh, sod off! Your friend didn't care, you're just looking for an excuse. Now, if that's the best your bird-brain can do, we've more important things to–"

"You're staying," The other boy pulled out his wand.

Mel felt her blood run cold, she had forgotten her wand back in the tower and she wasn't allowed to used wandless magic at all. Hermione raised hers, but against two older Slytherin... they had very slim chances to get out of there unharmed. That, until Erick appeared around the corner the Slytherins had come from.

"Griffin," He frowned, not noticing who were they talking to. "Isn't it a bit late to be tormenting first yea–"

His eyes landed on Mel and Hermione, he stopped four feet behind his housemates. His eyebrows raised ever so lightly, as if his interest had increased, but barely. 

"Hello?" He looked at the boys. "Are you guys planning a double date?" 

His voice sounded casual and controlled, the other two boys snickered at this. 

"We found them here on their own, thought you might appreciate to get a proper apology out of this nut-head's mouth," The boy, who now Mel knew as Griffin, explained.

Erick's eyebrows fell into a frown.

"Apologize?"

"She crashed into you the first day of school, remember?" Faustus made a face. "That Potter tried to fight you because of it."

"If my memory doesn't fail me, he was trying to fight _you_ , not me."

"All the same, we have them cornered!"

"We're standing in the middle of a hall," He stated.

"You want payback or not?" Griffin spat.

"I don't," Erick tilted his head, his frown never leaving his expression. "Are you twelve? I couldn't care less about what a pair of Gryffindor girls did to me _by accident_ months ago."

Faustus' eyes widened, he wasn't expecting that reaction. 

"But– She's... She's the Dumbledore girl."

"Yeah, and you're the Gibbon boy," He raised a brow. "Griffin is a Singh boy– I'll say it again, I don't care who she is, I won't risk my Prefect badge just because you're bloody bored, Faustus. Let. Them. Go."

Faustus and Griffin lowered their wands, grumbling and walking past them, pushing harshly on Hermione's shoulder. Mel held her in place.

Erick stayed behind. He seemed to be struggling between asking them if they were fine or just walking away. Mel was about to talk when Griffin yelled from the other side of the hall. 

"Flint, what're you doing?"

Erick jumped lightly, his frown increasing as he looked over to the boys.

"Nothing! – Just checking you didn't do anything stupid like hurting the Headmaster's grandaughter!–"

" _Niece..._ " Mel grumbled. 

" _I know,_ " Erick whispered without looking at her, his frown never disappearing.

He left after that, hurrying to catch up with his housemates. The girls stood there in stunned silence until Mel turned to Hermione.

"Was that enough proof of his loyalty?"

"Please," Hermione huffed, starting to walk towards their tower. "I don't doubt him since our last session– No person would sit for hours and weeks to hear us talk about how muggles' lives just to hurt someone. I'm yet to find out why he needs to know all that, though..."

"You can ask him later, if he trusts you he'll tell you," Mel shrugged. "But see? He's a good boy! He wasn't hiding anything!"

"What about you?" Hermione asked while walking through the tapestry.

"What about me?" She frowned

"I don't worry about Erick's loyalty, but I worry about yours..."

"What?" Mel laughed. "What are you saying?"

"You haven't told Harry about Erick," She retorted. "You promised months ago, but you haven't. You don't trust Erick enough to let him meet Harry, or you don't trust Harry– I don't know which one's worse."

"That's not it," Mel replied calmly, though she could feel her heartbeat racing. "I trust them, I just..."

Hermione didn't pressure her to speak, she waited until they were climbing the stairs towards the Fat Lady.

"They'll get upset– It's been three years, I promised I'd keep our friendship a secret and then I go out of my way to tell you– it's not fair to hide things from my best friend, and it's not fair to talk without Erick's consent either..."

They walked into the common room concluding their discussion, Hermione handed the cloak back to Harry, Ron was beyond amazed.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately! First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"

"Best Gryffindor in our year," Mel smirked, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders.


	17. Under The Whomping Willow.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The light fell above the shape of a massive, nightmarish black dog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might post another one this week, to start go even with tumblr lmao -Danny

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Was the first thing Hagrid told them.

He let them in anyway, and they took off the cloak while Hagrid walked around the place giving the impression that the walls were closing around him.

"Wan' some tea?" He asked.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione inquired while sitting down at the table.

"I — I took him outside. He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"

He let out a strangled sigh before dropping the milk, causing them to jump.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," Hermione got up again to help him.

"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid sat down, nothing but defeat in his voice.

Harry, Ron, and Mel shared the same expression.

_"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"_

_"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's... but it'll be quick an' clean... an' I'll be beside him..."_

_Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort._

_"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore..."_

_Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears._

_"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head._

_"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway... If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."_

_Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek._

_"Ron! I — I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!"_

_Ron gaped at her.  
_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down._ _With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table._

_"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"_

Mel reached out to get the rat, the brief second her fingers curled around the animal's tail she felt overwhelmed by panic and the inexplicable need to run away. She dropped the creature in spite of Ron's complaints and held her hand up closer to the light.

"It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron, picking up the rat again. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"

"Mel," Harry put a hand on her shoulder, the feeling immediately easing her heart. "Are you okay?"

She took a moment, trying to understand what'd just happened.

"I... I think so," She cleared her throat, rubbing her wrist. "Doesn't matter– Thought I saw... nevermind."

Hagrid stood up abruptly, his eyes never leaving the window.

"They're comin'..."

Albus Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, the Committee member, and the executioner were approaching at a steady pace.

"Yeh gotta go– They mustn' find yeh here... Go now..."

They collected their things quickly and hid under the cloak once more, Hagrid guided them through the back door where they found Buckbeak nervously moving around the pumpkin patch. They protested all the way while Hagrid kept pushing them further.

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

"You're not alone, Hagrid," Mel reassured him. "We'll come back tomorrow."

"Go," His voice broke a little. "Don' listen..."

And so they did as he told, their spirits breaking with each step.

"Please, let's hurry," Hermione mumbled weakly. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it..."

Midway up, Ron stopped moving.

"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione said.

"It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —" Ron's hand fumbled inside his pocket, fighting with the rat. "Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," He hissed, the animal had bitten his fingers.

"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione said with dread.

"Okay — Scabbers, stay put —"

They walked ten steps further when Ron stopped again.

"I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —" The rat was squealing and tossing around, desperate to get out of his owner's grip.

"Ron, honestly–" Mel started, but the distinct sound of an axe cutting through made her stop mid-sentence.

The group froze.

"They did it!" Hermione whispered in horror. "I d — don't believe it — they did it!" 

"Hagrid," Harry tried to go back, but Ron and Hermione seized his arms.

"We can't," said Ron, momentarily forgetting about Scabbers. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him..."

"How — could — they?" Hermione panted. "How could they?" 

"Come on," said Ron, pulling the whole group with him.

They managed to climb all the way up to the open grounds, where Scabbers had gone mad once more.

"Scabbers, keep still! What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, your elbow!" Mel grumbled, rubbing her left arm.

"Be quiet!" Hermione urged them. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"

"He won't — stay — put —"

"What's the matter with him?" Mel huffed, moving away from her friend.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione squeaked. Mel looked forward and saw the tiny creature observing them through the cloak. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

"Scabbers — NO!" The rat jumped out of Ron's pocket, and before anyone could stop their friend, he pushed the cloak off his body and ran after it.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted.

Mel took off the cloak as well and ran after Ron, followed by Hermione and Harry.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —" It was hard to see what was going on, Mel heard Ron falling to the ground. "Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

She stopped a feet away from the boy, Hermione and Harry crashing against her.

"Ron — come on — back under the cloak —" She heard her friend move beside her. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"

"I can't see!" Mel complained. "This is ridiculous– _Lumos!"_

The light fell above the shape of a massive, nightmarish black dog.

It jumped the exact moment Mel tried to attack him, throwing her and Harry to the ground and leaping towards Ron, closing its mouth tightly around his arm. The creature dragged him far from reach, and Mel jumped to her feet trying to run after them.

Then she remembered she'd dropped her wand and turned around to search for it when a harsh blow threw her five feet away from where she'd been standing. Her eyes teared up and made it impossible to see, but she heard Harry screams. 

"Lumos!"

The Whomping Willow stood proudly above their heads. And there, at the base of the trunk, Ron was sinking.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. 

A branch hit him on the side, they couldn't step closer. Mel still hadn't found her wand. One of Ron's legs remained hooked around a root in a strange position. She knew what was going to happen and the awful crack confirmed her fears: Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, he was gone.

"We've got to go for help —" Hermione had a nasty cut on her shoulder.

"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"

"I lost my wand–"

"You didn't," Harry handed it back. "It fell next to me."

"Harry — we're never going to get through without help —"

A new branch tried to hit them, but they jumped out of reach.

"If that dog can get in, we can," Harry insisted.

Mel looked around frantically, she could try to freeze the tree on the spot, but she didn't know if she was strong enough for that.

Crookshanks moved silently between them, he reached the trunk and his front paws clawed at a knot on the base of it. The tree ceased its movements. 

"Crookshanks! How did he know — ?"

"He's friends with that dog," said Harry dryly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —"

They entered the passageway without speaking, the dark silence urging them to find their friend.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione whimpered.

"This way," Harry nudged Mel's arm, pointing to his left.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know... It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it... It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade..." Harry explained through pants while he guided the way.

The path wasn't high, and it forced them to almost bend over, Mel was starting to feel pain on her lower back when suddenly it opened abruptly, widened, and twisted once more. It gave away an odd entrance through which they managed to see a room, for the looks of it, the place was abandoned. The windows were boarded up, the furniture dusty and broken.

Harry was the first to walk in, then Mel, and then Hermione. 

"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered, Mel turned to see her clinging to Harry's arm.

"I think you're right..." Mel replied quietly, her memories matching how it looked the inside with the outside.

"Ghosts didn't do that," Harry signaled to a rusty chair, it was so savagely broken it made her feel weak on the knees.

Something moved on the upper floor and they shared a look, agreeing to walk upstairs and find out what was happening.

_"Nox,"_ The lights went off on the three wands. 

Only one door was open, and they could see something move behind it. Harry kicked it and walked in with the wand pointing ahead. Ron was on the ground holding his leg and white as paper. The children ran up to him, Mel felt her soul leave her body at the sight of his injury.

"Ron — are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron grunted. "Harry, it's a trap —" 

"What —"

"He's the dog... He's an Animagus..."

Mel turned at the same time Harry did. A man stepped forward and slammed the door close.

_A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black._

_"Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them._

Suddenly they were at his mercy. There was nothing they could do to help themselves.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," Black said. His voice resembled a lot a dog's growl. "Your fathers would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier..." 

Harry tried to throw himself at Black, but Mel and Hermione caught his arms before he could leap forward.

"No, Harry!" Hermione whispered in horror.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron yelled. Mel hadn't noticed that her friend had stood up beside her, and she helped him support his weight on her.

Black watched them quietly, Ron was losing blood and although it wasn't a dangerous amount, he still needed to be cured.

"Lie down," The man said. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron insisted, clutching to Mel's arm. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," Black whispered with a nasty grin.

"Why's that?" Harry's voice came out like venom, she'd never heard him talk like that. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew... What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry! Be quiet!" Hermione pleaded.

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with huge effort he broke free of Hermione's restraint and lunged forward.

The boy punched Black– no magic, not even caring that the man was crazy and ready to kill him in no time. Black's hand enraptured Harry's throat tightly.

"No! I've waited too long —"

Harry choked, Mel was pulling Ron towards the bed panting and feeling her muscles burn, she wanted to help. Hermione took care of it before she could, she launched forward and kicked Black's side. When she made sure Ron was safe, Mel rushed over to them and tried to steal the wands away from the criminal. Everyone got hurt in the fight, Ron screaming indications to help his friends.

"Argh!"

_Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand —_

_"NO YOU DON'T!" roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned —_

"Get out of the way!" He screamed.

Harry approached the grim man, pointing right at his chest.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" 

"You killed my parents."

"I don't deny it, but if you knew the whole story–"

"The whole story?" Harry asked in disbelief. "You sold them to Voldemort. Mel's dad died because of you! That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black growled. "You'll regret it if you don't... You don't understand..."

"I understand a lot better than you think– You never heard her, did you? My mum... trying to stop Voldemort killing me... and you did that, you did it..."

Crookshanks leaped towards Sirius and curled around his chest

"Get off," Black tried to move him away.

Harry wasn't going to kill him. For starters, he didn't have the knowledge or power to be able to even hurt Black in a serious way. Second, he wasn't a murderer. Mel was waiting for the moment when he would come into terms with that, when a sound came from the first floor.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione shouted. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!"

Harry let out a tiny whimper, imperceptible for the rest but loud enough to know he was forcing himself to stay and face Black, to not look afraid.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

She felt her wand fly out of her grip and saw her uncle caught the wands with impressive expertise. Harry's chest deflated, an utter look of shame on his features. Mel stepped forward, careful not to scare him, she supported a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away from Black.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Something about the familiarity of the question made her feel scared.

Black, terribly slow, pointed at Ron. 

"But then... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless..." Throughout her life, Mel had seen him recovering from his transformations. This was different, something was changing _inside_ his mind. "— unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"

Black nodded.

"Professor," Harry was losing his patience. "What's going on — ?"

They froze in place when Lupin lowered his wand and walked over to Sirius, helping him on his feet and... hugging him. Mel felt something breaking in her chest.

She never would've thought... He had known her dad, Harry's parents... He was _family!_

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione yelled. "You — you —"

"Hermione —"

" — you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down —"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked, this time turning to see her. "I've been covering up for you because Mel asked me to—"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin insisted. "I can explain —"

"Could you?" Mel heard her own voice, sadder than ever. "I think it's clear..."

"I trusted you," Harry shouted, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong, I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain..."

He tried to reach Mel, but she stepped back in anger.

"You're a monster," She said shortly. 

A pained expression crossed Lupin's face but he shook it off quickly, stepping ahead.

"Please Mel, this can be fixed–"

"NO!" Hermione pulled her to her side. "Don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!"

Mel didn't speak on his behalf. 

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," Lupin said calmly. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead... but I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron whimpered behind her. Lupin noticed he was injured and tried to reach for him as well, but Mel stood between both of them at the exact moment Ron demanded:

"Get away from me, werewolf!"

Lupin stopped, his eyes landed on Mel's, who was deadly quiet. She wasn't going to humor him and speak, he knew that. Instead, he addressed Hermione.

"How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione replied. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..."

"He'll be delighted, He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant... Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Lupin forced a laugh, then he looked back at his niece.

"You knew?"

"Same time as Hermione," She examined the scars across his face as she spoke. "Different reasons."

"You're the cleverest witches of your age I've ever met," He nodded at Mel. "I've known you your whole life... I helped Emily raise you–" 

"You did it out of guilt– I don't owe you my upbringing," Mel growled.

"And I'm not clever at all," Hermione added. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know, at least, the staff do," Lupin explained.

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf? Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so, he had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy —" 

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry shouted so abruptly it made her jump. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!"

Black dragged himself towards the bed and fell on it tiredly. Ron pulled himself away from him with difficulty and Mel stood next to him protectively.

"I have not been helping Sirius. If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"

He threw the wands back to each owner, Harry looked down at his with confusion.

"There," said Lupin, putting his own away on his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

Mel and Harry shared a look. She nodded, and the boy continued.

"If you haven't been helping him... How did you know he was here?"

"The map– The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"

"You know how to work it?"

"Of course I know how to work it," Lupin brushed it off like it meant nothing. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

_"Moony?"_ Mel repeated.

"You wrote — ?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you two, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I? You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry —" 

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"Don't you remember?" Mel inquired. "He'd said it before– He was friends with our parents, of course he knows!"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it!" Lupin said, acting like it wasn't important. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry and Mel at the same time. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" Harry denied.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black... I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"

"One of us!" Ron yelled.

"No, Ron," said Lupin, pacing around. Mel noticed -unsure of how to feel about it- that she had the same mannerisms whenever something wouldn't leave her mind. "Two of you. Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" 

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?" 

"Everything," said Lupin, stopping his walk. "Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated and glanced at Mel. She thought that at the end of the day, it didn't sound like a life or death risk, so she told him it was alright. Ron grabbed Scabbers by the tail and offered it to the Professor. Lupin inched closer.

"What?" Ron pressed, taking the animal away from Lupin's excruciating look. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," Black said hoarsely.

"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"

"No, he's not," Lupin said miserably. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus... by the name of Peter Pettigrew." 


	18. The Animagi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sirius, NO! WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"You're both mental." Ron said in disbelief.

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry pointed at Black.

"I meant to, but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!"

Black threw himself over the bed to reach for Scabbers, hurting Ron in the process. Mel pushed him away yelling. 

"Don't touch him!" 

A small wave shot off of her then, strong enough to move Black to the other side of the raggedy mattress.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, reaching for his friend and sitting him up. Black was looking at her with curiosity. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"We can explain afterwards!" Black snapped back, turning to face him.

"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything! Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry — you owe Harry and Mel the truth, Sirius!"

Black's eyes moved from the rat to her face, briefly meeting her gaze. There was something in the way he looked at her, something close to recognition.

"All right, then. Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron holding Scabbers tightly against his chest. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

"Don't be stupid," Mel replied, turning to face him. "You can't move."

Ron ignored her, he tried to get up on his own, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. Mel was quick to raise her wand at him.

"You said you weren't going to hurt us."

"I won't. You're going to hear me out," He said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen, Ron."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled in exasperation. He lost his balance and Harry caught him, helping him back on the bed. 

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," Harry said calmly. "A whole street full of them..." 

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Black exclaimed, with the remnants of his old insanity showing up.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter. I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies. Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Mel wasn't looking at her friends, her wand still pointing at her uncle. She was starting to feel a bit drained after her boost of energy. She knew that if she had to, she wouldn't be able to hurt her uncle. She still saw him as her family, the only man that had made his part as some sort of fatherly figure. Yet, he was helping the one that had caused her to live without a father in the first place, and the deafening silence behind her let her know that the boys weren't believing even a bit of the man's story.

"But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't..." Hermione started.

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin asked.

"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list —"

"Right again, Hermione!" Lupin said through a chuckle. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be four unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," Black growled. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right, but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began..."

The bedroom door opened. Lupin got nearer and looked out into the landing.

"No one there..."

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," The man replied casually. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted... The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

Mel blinked in surprise, her hand slowly lowering on its own while her uncle continued his story. He'd mentioned it before, the Willow had been planted on the year he arrived at school, and it was right above the passageway that led to this place... a place to hide and avoid hurting others.

"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor... Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it... But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, five great friends. Sirius Black... Peter Pettigrew... and, of course, your parents — James, Matthew, and Emily."

She knew it by now, how close all of them were. Yet, she felt like it was all dream, that soon someone would wake her and say she was imagining things, that she and Harry had nothing in common and those secrets were all product of her imagination. She was tired of all the secrets. When Mel had asked him how'd he gotten his scars her uncle had said _'I was really clumsy as a child'._ She had laughed at that, thinking all kinds of fun adventures involving him, now thinking of what really entailed those scars, her heart felt heavy.

"Now, my friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her. I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, worked out the truth... Your parents were quite clever, Mel. They could sense a lie from miles away, but the really impressive thing was that they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad too?" asked Harry in amazement.

"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "Your mother didn't, Mel. Emily decided to stay out of it, she wasn't eager to turn into a bunny –She always joked about how she was sure that she'd turn into one of those fluffy white ones..." Lupin laughed quietly. "It took them the best part of three years but your fathers and Sirius were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James, Matt, and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed... Peter, or Matt, as the smallest of our group, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus."

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there... well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. Matt's had sharp claws and a strong beak, he could hurt if he wanted to. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did... And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs and Ruddy..."

"My dad," Mel frowned. "Why?"

Lupin smiled. 

"The bird he turned into was covered in Scarlet feathers– we thought it was funny, back then many things seemed funny to us."

"What sort of animal — ?" Hermione cut Harry's question.

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me, and there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness. Matt and I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course... he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and Matt had been almost a son to him, and he had no idea that we were breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led four fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed..." 

Her father was an animagi and he felt just as guilty as her for betraying Dumbledore's trust, she thought that maybe all of the Dumbledores would always feel a burden to carry out their name proudly, even if they didn't have anything special.

"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me... and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it... so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Black, suddenly he was just as interested in the story as the rest of the kids. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius. He's teaching here as well." He turned to the children. "Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"

Black scoffed.

"It served him right," He replied dryly. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to, hoping he could get us expelled..." 

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month. We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field... anyway, Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life... Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was..."

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry. "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"And that's why he treats us like rubbish?" Mel asked bitterly. "We just remind him too much of his old bullies?"

"That's right," A cold voice said behind Lupin.

_Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin._


	19. A Window to the Past.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow. Very useful, Potter, I thank you..." Snape threw the cloak aside. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here? I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" 

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake, you haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," The man didn't care to listen. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf —"

"You fool– Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

Thin, snakelike cords jumped from the end of Snape's wand and twisted around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he fell to the floor.

"NO!" Mel ran towards him at the same time Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes and Harry grabbed her wrist before she could move further.

"Give me a reason," Snape threatened. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

"Professor Snape — it — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w — would it?" Hermione asked beside her.

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape said harshly. "You, Potter, Dumbledore, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue." 

"But if — if there was a mistake —"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" 

"DON'T TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!" Mel yelled back, snatching her wrist from Harry's grip and raising her wand before she could think it through. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL HER STUPID AGAIN OR I'LL–"

"WHAT?" He roared. "You'll knock me unconscious and then what, Miss Dumbledore?! The Headmaster will feel beyond proud once he finds out he brought up a scoundrel!"

"Better a scoundrel than a petty, feeble man!" Harry pulled down her arm harshly.

"What are you doing?" He hissed. "You believe them?"

"If Black were a dark wizard he would've tried to kill us already," She turned to the boy and tried to pull her arm away. "Let go."

"No." 

"Harry, I'll hex you if I have to–"

A short chuckle let out Black's mouth, he was looking at her from the corner of his eye, without completely turning away from Snape.

"You are your mother's daughter, Mel. But this isn't worth an expulsion– lower the wand."

Mel wanted to hiss at him something like _'You really think I'll listen to you?'_ but Snape was faster.

"Vengeance is very sweet. How I hoped I would be the one to catch you..." 

"The joke's on you again, Severus. As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly..."

"Up to the castle? I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black, pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay..."

Black looked afraid for the first time that night.

"You — you've got to hear me out. The rat — look at the rat —"

"Come on, all of you," Snape ignored him. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too —"

"The werewolf is my family and you won't drag him around like that," Mel growled, stepping forward between Lupin's body and the men in front of her.

Harry moved as well, but he crossed the room and blocked the door. He was a few feet away from her.

"Get out of the way, you're in enough trouble already," Snape spat. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —" 

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "And Mel about a thousand times more throughout her entire childhood. We've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter."

"Stop calling him a werewolf, that's not all he is!" Mel's fist clenched. "He's as human as you are, and perhaps even better at it!"

" _Perhaps,"_ Snape said through gritted teeth _,_ "they're right when they say women in your family go mental before coming of age." 

She could've raised her wand and attack right at that instant... If it wasn't because Harry lost his temper at the same time.

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" He yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" 

"YOU REFUSE TO SPEAK AT ALL!" Mel argued back.

"Like father, like son! The both of you– have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your fathers, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY!" 

_"Stupefy!"_

_"Expelliarmus!"_

The children had raised their wands at the same time, all of them pointing at Snape. The man's body flew and crashed against a wall, blood starting to drip from his forehead. Mel's spell had come out stronger than expected, and if felt as if part of her energy had gone out with it as well.

"You shouldn't have done that," Black said. "You should have left him to me..." 

"No offense, but you didn't have that under control," Mel stated, walking over to the bed and retrieving Snape's wand. "And he's right– I'm like my dad, I don't kneel for anybody."

"We attacked a teacher... We attacked a teacher..." Hermione panicked. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"

"You better take in the fact that we're expelled 'Mione," Mel shook her head, tiredly reaching for her uncle at the same time as Black. 

They froze for a moment, then Mel nodded silently once and the man reached to untie her uncle.

"Thank you," He said to the children.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," Harry told Lupin. He looked at Mel, waiting for her opinion.

It was hard to wrap her head around it, but the way Snape had reacted was still fresh on her mind, he'd insulted her father's memory and if she was honest, if there was any chance that Lupin and Black could prove that what they did was right– if she could save Hermione from getting expelled (and to convince herself that her uncle was a good man) she had to take it.

"If he is who you say he is, then turn him back," Mel said in sort of child-like demand. 

"All right, it's time we offered you some proof," said Lupin. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."

"Come off it," Ron said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean... Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question– How did you find out where he was?" 

Black took out an old paper and showed it to them.

_It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers._

_"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck._

_"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page... on this boy's shoulder... I knew him at once... how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts... to where Harry was..."_

_"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw..."_

_"What about it?" said Ron defiantly._

_"He's got a toe missing," said Black.  
_

_"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple... so brilliant... he cut it off himself?"_

_"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats..."_

_"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."_

"We've heard," Mel said bitterly.

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"

"Twelve years, in fact– Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" Lupin insisted. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again..."

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron.

"But Scabbers had been ill long before," Mel replied, knowing Harry and Hermione were thinking the same. "Remember? You bought the tonic for rats and that's how Hermione got Crookshanks..."

"This cat isn't mad," said Black. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me... Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me..."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't... so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table..." 

"Oh, Neville..." Mel sat down on the bed, feeling really, _really_ drained.

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it... This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets... I supposed he bit himself... Well, faking his own death had worked once..."

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry demanded. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No, Harry —"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Black.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" 

"Snape's a nasty man," Mel frowned. "They deserve to explain themselves– And that's all they've been doing since we got here, do you honestly think we're in danger?"

"Harry," Lupin urged, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father and killed Matthew in the process— Sirius tracked Peter down —"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

That one bit was true, but Black shook his head in what Mel could only think of as grief.

"Harry... I as good as killed them. I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me... I'm to blame, I know it. The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies... I realized what Peter must've done... what I'd done..."

Friends dead, children abandoned. All because he'd trusted the wrong man. 

Mel understood, more yet, she felt it the same way she could feel whether if an artifact had dark magic in it or not. She could sense his innocence, he lacked the darkness needed to cause that chaos.

"Enough of this," said Lupin. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat." 

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" 

"Ron, come on..." Mel pleaded, rubbing her forehead to try and disappear the weariness.

"Force him to show himself," Lupin assured him. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." 

Ron handed it over.

"Thank you."

"Ready, Sirius?" Lupin inquired.

Black silently asked Mel for Snape's wand. She gave it up.

"Together?" He asked quietly.

"I think so... On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"

A flash of blue blinded her momentarily as she heard Ron shouts and the rat's squeals, she heard them until they stopped sounded like squeals, and more like human yells.

_He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again._

_"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."_

_"S — Sirius... R — Remus..." Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends... my old friends..."_

_Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual._

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily, James, and Matt died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"

"Remus, you don't believe him, do you..? He tried to kill me, Remus..."

"So we've heard. I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again! He killed them and now he's going to kill me too... You've got to help me, Remus..."

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.

"Sorted things out? I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" Lupin frowned. "When nobody has ever done it before?" 

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of! How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Black laughed again, he sounded so animal-like that she shrunk in her place fearfully.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks? What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black when he noticed the way Peter had flinched. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —"

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years. You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter... They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them... I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways... If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know... what you're talking about... You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —" 

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat."

"Innocent, but scared! If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"

"How dare you," Black growled. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us... me and Remus... James and Matt– Hell, even Emily had your back!"

"Me, a spy... must be out of your mind... never... don't know how you can say such a —"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it! I thought it was the perfect plan... a bluff... Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you... It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters– Not only that, but the youngest Dumbledores as well, father and daughter..."

Alarms were going off inside her mind but she felt too tired to fight them, she supported her head against Harry's side, still sitting on the bed, and closed her eyes for a moment.

_"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"_

_"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously._

_"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You- Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"_

_"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"_

_"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him..."_

_Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk._

_"Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione._

_Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her._

_"If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"_

Mel wanted to say _'Mione, always bringing up the best questions'_ but she could barely muster a smile. Merlin, why was she so _tired?_

"Thank you!" Pettigrew squeaked. "Exactly! Precisely what I —" 

_But Lupin silenced him with a look. Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer._

_"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me... but it kept me sane and knowing who I am... helped me keep my powers... so when it all became... too much... I could transform in my cell... become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know..." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions... They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog... but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand..._

_"But then I saw Peter in that picture... I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry... perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again..."_

Mel decided to believe them, she believed because they were okay with telling a truth that had weighed on them for a long time meanwhile Pettigrew was eager to squirm away from it, he seemed small and helpless, ready to jump on anyone's throat if given the chance.

"...ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies... and to deliver the last Potter and Dumbledore to them. If he gave them Harry and Mel who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors... So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive..." 

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it... It wasn't a happy feeling... it was an obsession... but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog... It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused... I was thin, very thin... thin enough to slip through the bars... I swam as a dog back to the mainland... I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry..."

She finally looked up at Harry, he was holding Black's stare, no hesitation in his eyes.

"Believe me," Black was looking intently to the both of them. "Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed any of them." 

Harry looked down at her and she immediately knew what he was thinking. That ache on Black's voice... it resembled so much the one they felt whenever one of them was in danger– the anguish she drowned in when Harry was about to die in Salazar's chamber, or Harry's when he thought Quirrel had killed her.

"We believe you," Mel said. Harry nodded as a reply.

"No!" Pettigrew fell to his knees and crawled over to Black.

"Sirius — it's me... it's Peter... your friend... you wouldn't..." 

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," Black spat.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked. "You don't believe this... wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?" 

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter. I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"

"Forgive me, Remus," Black pleaded.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," said Black, smiling weakly. "Shall we kill him together?"

Mel looked up. That wasn't what she was expecting to hear them say.

"Yes, I think so," Lupin replied lowly.

"You wouldn't... you won't..." gasped Pettigrew. And he turned to Ron. "Ron... haven't I been a good friend... a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you... you're on my side, aren't you?"

"I let you sleep in my bed !" He exclaimed in disgust.

"Kind boy... kind master...you won't let them do it... I was your rat... I was a good pet..."

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black.

It was Hermione's turn.

"Sweet girl... clever girl... you — you won't let them... Help me..."

"Don't touch her!" Mel stood up but immediately regretted her decision as the world started to turn upside down.

Harry put an arm around her waist and called her name with worry. She didn't respond.

Pettigrew crawled over to them.

"Harry... Harry... you look just like your father... just like him... Mel..."

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY? HOW DARE YOU FACE THEM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES AND MATT IN FRONT OF THEM?"

"Harry," Pettigrew, insisted. She felt her body being pulled away from the man, Harry's arms around her waist to keep her steady. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed... James would have understood, Harry... he would have shown me mercy..." 

Harry ignored him, his attention still on her.

"Mel," He continued. "Talk to me..."

"I'm all right," She mumbled, fighting against her dizziness. 

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black to Pettigrew. "Do you deny it?"

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done?" Pettigrew finally burst into tears. "The Dark Lord– you have no idea... he has weapons you can't imagine... I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you, Remus, Matt, and James. I never meant it to happen... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"

"DON'T LIE! YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY, JAMES AND MATT DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

_"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh — what was there to be gained by refusing him?"_

_"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terribly fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"_

_"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"_

_"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"_

_Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised._

_"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."_

Only then Harry returned his attention to the scene unfolding in front of him.

"NO!" Harry yelled.

Mel stepped away and sat back on the bed, Hermione immediately sitting beside her to see if there was anything she could do. At the same time, Harry had taken a few large steps to stand between the three men.

"You can't kill him... You can't." 


	20. Moonlight.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black said harshly. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry said, his voice sounded distant. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors... He can go to Azkaban... but don't kill him."

"Harry!" Pettigrew threw himself over to Harry, hugging his legs. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Get off me," Harry growled. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad or Matt would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."

No one dared to talk against Harry's decision. Mel's breathing was slowing down, she felt calm enough to open her eyes and meet Lupin's gaze. It was as if he was waiting for her confirmation too. What else was there to add? Harry had said it all, their fathers died so they could live good lives. She nodded, standing up from the bed and letting the relief wash over her when the world stayed in its place.

"You're the only people who have the right to decide," said Black, looking at the kids. "But think... think what he did..."

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does..."

"Killing him won't bring them back," She added. "We know that, Harry and I. His death– It wouldn't change anything... the ministry finding out the truth, that would change all."

"Very well," said Lupin, he then turned to the boy. "Stand aside, Harry. I'm going to tie him up, that's all, I swear."

"But if you transform, Peter," Black added once Pettigrew was tied up. "We will kill you. You agree, kids?"

Harry looked down and nodded.

"Right," said Lupin. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

Lupin approached her friend and leaned in front of him.

 _"Ferula."_ He said, and bandages covered up Ron's leg completely, strapping it to a splint. Lupin and Mel helped him to his feet.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione.

"He can sit on a cactus and-" Mel stopped at her uncle's glare. "We'll take him too."

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," Lupin casually checked Snape's pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this..."

"He'll be livid," Mel grimaced. "He hated us before but now he'll do anything to make us live hell... Though nothing will ever make me forget how his body flew up like a ragdoll," She smiled guiltily.

Black was looking at her in a funny way, almost smiling, but not quite.

"Mother's daughter all right," He mumbled hoarsely.

" _Mobilicorpus_ ," mumbled Lupin.

_As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket._

_"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."_

_"I'll do it," said Lupin._

_"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward._

"That's brave of you," Mel patted his shoulder. "Thank you, Ron."

He didn't reply, perhaps too focused on keeping his leg safe.

They'd been walking for about five minutes, making their way through the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, when Black spoke up.

"You know what this means?" He said to Harry. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," Harry retorted.

"Yes. But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that."

"Well... your parents appointed me your guardian, if anything happened to them..."

Mel was slowly gaining her strength back, her mind would turn blurry from time to time but she was sure this wasn't part of her imaginings, Black was about to offer Harry a new life.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..."

"What — live with you?" Harry turned abruptly to look at Mel, he hit his head on a rock and grunted. His eyes went back to Black. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," Black backtracked with a strange shyness. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"

"Are you insane? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Harry was beaming, she couldn't see his face but it was enough to hear his cheerful tone to know it was case closed. Mel wasn't selfish, and although this meant she wouldn't have Harry with her during the summers, it also meant that Harry had a chance to have a better life, a _family_.

"You want to?" Black was astonished. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" Harry insisted.

Mel fought to vanish her frown when Harry turned around once more to see her. She showed him the best smile she could muster, hoping it'd be enough. Once outside, Mel stood next to Lupin.

"I'm sorry," She started, "I called you a monster– it was out of place and you didn't deserve it–"

"Mel..."

"I thought you'd been lying to me, I know that you can't tell everybody you're a werewolf... I hate this! I know I'm a hypocrite because I've lied too, but–"

"Mel," Lupin called sternly. "I understand. I see how it might've looked for you, me helping Sirius. A convict that until then you thought was trying to kill your friend. I hope you understand my actions now, Sirius was my friend when I was younger, if there was any chance of him being innocent..."

Mel understood, of course. If she were on his shoes and for some reason one of her closest friends had gone to Azkaban thanks to a misunderstanding and she had a way to prove it, she would've fought against every wizard on earth to set them free. She saw her uncle under a new light, one that resembled Harry's during the Quidditch final.

She threw her arms around Lupin's waist and hugged him tightly, as if all the love she had for him and all the memories were so overwhelming she had to let them out somehow.

"You're a good man," Her voice sounded a bit hoarse because of the lump in her throat. "And a brilliant professor... and the best godfather I could've asked for."

Lupin's body tensed for half a second, but soon enough he hugged her back with one arm (the other was chained to Pettigrew) and stroked Mel's shoulder.

"I'm thankful Matt and Emily trusted me enough," Lupin said quietly. "I'm lucky... I got to see you grow."

Mel let out a teary laugh, cleaning her face quickly so they couldn't see she'd been crying. Pettigrew shifted in his place, causing Lupin to grip his wand tightly and point it right back at his chest.

"One wrong move, Peter..."

_Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then —_

_A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight._

_Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop._

Mel was standing right in the middle of both groups, and she didn't notice something was wrong until she heard the soft whimpers that were coming from her uncle and Hermione's soft gasp.

"Oh, my — He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

Mel's head snapped to the man and then lowered to see the chains that kept Ron incapable of walking away. She tried to move to Ron's side but a hand closed around her wrist and pulled her back.

"Leave it to me," Black pulled her away, causing her to crash against Harry's body. "RUN!"

_There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away —_

_As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other —_

Ron and Pettigrew were still bounded, and Mel's brain acted before she could decide what was the best idea. She shouted _'Confringo!'_ the moment Pettigrew launched for Lupin's wand.

A small wave of explosion moved forward from the middle section of the chains and tiny pieces of metal flew everywhere. Ron fell, Mel reached for him but there was a blinding light and a second explosion, it happened so fast she barely had time to realize Ron laid now unconscious on the ground.

"No!"

A third _'BANG!'_ and Crookshanks flew up in the air, he'd jumped in front of Mel in order to protect her from the curse. When Pettigrew tried it a fourth time, she was ready.

" _Protego!"_

" _Expelliarmus!"_ Harry yelled at the same time, pointing at Pettigrew.

Lupin's wand flew directly into Mel's reach, she caught it, stumbling to remain out of Pettigrew's reach.

"Stay where you are!" Harry ran torward the man, but he wasn't fast enough.

In the blink of an eye, Pettigrew had transformed.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry looked for his godfather, he was bleeding terribly, but moved anyway, running in the direction Pettigrew'd seemed to disappeared.

Her legs gave in, falling next to Ron. Her heart was hammering and the sharp pain in her thigh made her realize there was a big piece of iron cutting through her skin.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione rushed to her side.

"I don't know..." Replied Harry's voice.

"Stunned," Mel panted, a tentative hand touching her leg softly, her mind starting to doze off with pain and exhaustation. "But it seems that the rat has a talent for it, it was too strong..."

"Mel!" Hermione gasped. "You're bleeding! Your... Your leg!"

Harry looked down at her and then around. Black and Lupin were gone, Snape was still unconscious, and she was about to faint as well, if not for her boosts of energy, it'd be because of her blood-lost.

"We'd better get you up to the castle and tell someone. Come—"

Mel stood up, only to stumble to her knees again, it felt like pushing a knife into her flesh.

"I'm going to pull it out," She groaned.

"No!"

"I don't think it's that bad," She closed her hand around the piece carefully. "A harsh tug and then that'll be it..."

A second hand landed on top of hers roughly and stopped her, Harry's voice came out in such a harsh manner that froze her in place.

"Do _not_ take it out."

She nodded quietly, unable to look away from his severe stare. A dog's cry came from afar, and Harry perked up.

"Sirius," He said.

On times like this, Mel knew exactly what she had to do, just like many times before, it was her moment to step back so Harry could finish the job.

"I'll be fine," She urged him and Hermione. "Get him."

Harry looked at her hesitantly for a second and then sprinted upwards, running towards the sound, Hermione followed. Mel breathed heavily one, two times, and pulled out the metal from her leg in one quick movement.

She yelled in pain, throwing the piece aside and watching as blood poured out. She had no time, Ron was still unconscious and she was in pain, not only that, but she had no energy to spare. Then her eyes landed on Snape.

The girl lifted her wand and focused all she had left on the spell.

 _'This is an emergency'_ , She thought, _'He hates us... but he can help.'_

_"Rennervate!"_

Snape's eyes opened abruptly.

She blacked out after that.


	21. Timing for a Miracle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to post these all at once bc I want to start the fourth book at the same time that in tumblr (which will be in two weeks) so enjoy lmao -Danny

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors... you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister... by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances..."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

Mel felt terribly lightheaded, her body was there but her mind was floating on her right, not many things made sense. Which Dementors? What about Black? Harry and which girl?

Then it came to her. She'd pulled out the piece of metal and was bleeding out, Pettigrew had escaped, Black was injured, her uncle had run off, and Ron...

"Ron needs help..." She grumbled half-awake. "Snape–"

She tried to sit up and sudden dizziness made her doubled on the bed and she leaned to her left, where she threw up bile. Madam Pomfrey rushed over. She was carrying a big chunk of chocolate but it only grossed her out more. She scrunched up her nose and threw up a second time.

"Now now, child," Pomfrey told her sort of motherly-like. "You lost a lot of blood, that thing you did was very foolish– you're lucky Snape found you on time."

"I woke him up on time..." She groaned, coming back to her senses.

"I'm sure things are confusing," Pomfrey nodded, not really listening to her while she vanished the vomit with a flick of her wand. "But you'll feel better as soon as you drink this..."

The woman handed her a cup with red liquid in it, Mel stared at it with aversion.

"It's Blood replenishing potion," She explained plainly. "Like I said, you lost blood."

The girl drank half of it at once and grimaced.

"Merlin's bloody corpse," She coughed. 

"Drink the rest or you'll be vomiting again in five minutes," Was all that Pomfrey said before turning around and looking at the bed next to hers. "Ah, you're awake!"

Mel hadn't noticed Harry laying there, he was disoriented and sleepy. 

"How's Ron?" He and Hermione (who was on the bed next to Harry's) asked together.

"He'll live," Madam Pomfrey said casually. "As for you two... you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?" 

Her friend had stood up, just like she'd tried to do moments before.

"I need to see the headmaster," He said, putting his glasses back on.

"Potter, it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

"WHAT?" Mel and Harry asked in unison.

Harry and Hermione left their beds immediately, Mel was struggling to get out without moving the bandages on her leg when the Minister and Snape walked into the Hospital Wing.

"Harry, Harry, what's this? You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" 

"Minister, listen!" Harry urged. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry said angrily, he was starting to grow rather fond of yelling, and Mel wasn't elated at that. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!" 

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione insisted. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

They were standing in the middle of the room, pleading to be heard.

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, all of them... Black's done a very good job on them..." 

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"Why don't you see our thoughts, then?" Mel asked sharply. "I know you know... what was it? _Legilimency_? Yes– You can see our thoughts, carve a little and you'll see what we're talking about!"

She saw something flash through Snape's eyes that didn't look heroic at all.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey. "I must insist that you leave. Potter and Dumbledore are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —" 

Pomfrey forced a piece of chocolate onto Harry's mouth, causing him to choke on his own words. She guided him back to his bed.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave —"

The door opened a second time and Dumbledore walked in.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"We aren't lying, Pettigrew's out there!" 

Hermione and Harry started at the same time, making it impossible for the children to be understood.

"For heaven's sake! Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Dumbledore along with Miss Granger," The man replied calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind? Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —" Snape sneered, but it was soon interrupted by Dumbledore.

"That, indeed, is Black's story."

"And does my evidence count for nothing? Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" Hermione was quick to explain. "You didn't arrive in time to hear —"

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE–!" 

"You know," Mel threw him a warning glance, continuing her comment in a rough voice. "You are very welcome to check our memories, surely there must be a way–"

"Memories can be easily corrupted, even _amateurs_ know it," The man emphasized the word so she could tell it was an insult. "Of course, I suppose I shouldn't expect a child to know enough about the subject– But I beg you, Miss Dumbledore, do not try to lecture a Professor on matters where he's got a larger skill than yours."

"I got to see exactly how skilled you are while we were in the shack, _Professor_ ," She retorted.

"You churlish–"

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, sensing the danger. "the young ladies are disturbed in their minds, we must make allowances —"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Mel, and Hermione alone," Dumbledore demanded at once. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us." 

"Headmaster! They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait– I must insist."

"The dementors should have arrived by now," Fudge said, already making his way out. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape said lowly, staring intently at the Headmaster.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Mel, and Hermione _alone_."

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen– You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

Mel opened her mouth to reply, but Dumbledore held up his hand to indicate her now it wasn't a good time to speak. She obeyed.

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," He said instead. 

Snape threw him one last, resented look before leaving the room. Harry and Hermione erupted into their own speeches once again.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew —" 

"— he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —" 

"— he's a rat —"

"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"

"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," Dumbledore finally spoke up. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you —" Harry said.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little — and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —"

"But —"

"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"But his version is also tainted!" Mel exclaimed with wide eyes. 

"He hates Sirius," Hermione added. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —" 

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"But you believe us."

"Yes, I do, but I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic..."

"Then what should we do? Wait for a miracle?" Mel scoffed.

"What we need," said Dumbledore carefully "is more time." 

"But —" Hermione's eyes widened. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention– Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake... You — must — not — be — seen."

Harry and Mel shared a dumbfounded expression. What was he saying?

"I am going to lock you in. It is —" Dumbledore took a quick glance to his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry and Mel asked.

"Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?" Harry approached the girl standing beside him.

"Harry– Mel, come here," She urged them. "Quick!"

Mel got out of her bed and finished her potion with a last awful gulp. Her leg was better and so were her energies, even if she hadn't slept a lot.

"Here —" Hermione threw a thin golden chain over their necks, a small hourglass was hanging from it. "Ready?"

"What are we doing?" Harry asked.

Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.

The world around her turned for what it felt like the fifth time, she was afraid of puking once again, so she held onto Harry's arm tightly and closed her eyes; when she felt it was over, she found herself standing right in the middle of the entrance hall.

"Hermione, what — ?"

"In here!" Hermione dragged them to a broom closet; pushed both of them inside, then slammed the door behind them.

"What — how — Hermione, what happened?" 

"We've gone back in time," Hermione took off the chain from Harry and Mel's necks. "Three hours back..."

"Oh," Mel said simply. "Okay, so I'm still dreaming."

"But —"

"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!"

Hermione pressed her ear against the cupboard door, Harry and Mel shared a look and they knew they weren't the only ones thinking their friend had gone mental.

"Footsteps across the hall... yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three or four people... and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak — We've gone down the front steps..."

Hermione sat down, Mel stood beside her not knowing where to start. However, Harry seemed to know all the right questions.

"Where did you get that hourglass thing?"

"It's called a Time-Turner– and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies... I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?"

"So that settles things," Mel said to Harry. "Now we know who McGonagall's favorite is."

"Come on, Mellow. We've always known– _Ouch!"_

"I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?" Hermione rambled on, ignoring her friends.

"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," Harry offered, rubbing the arm Mel had pinched. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago..."

"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's, we just heard ourselves leaving..." 

"Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life... Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"

"But — how will that help Sirius?" 

"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!"

"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. 

"We've achieved far more complicated things," Mel said ironically. "Saving a convict and a massive bird won't be a problem."

"Doesn't sound like anyone's there... Come on, let's go..." 

They quickly left the castle and moved through the school grounds.

"If anyone's looking out of the window —" 

"We'll run for it," Harry interrupted. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"

"That or I'll just knock them out!" Mel added excitedly. "I'm pretty good at it."

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!" said Hermione. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!" 

So they ran through the path Hermione had told them to.

"Right. We need to sneak over to Hagrid's... Keep out of sight, Harry..."

They made their way through the edge of the forest. As they reached the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock on his door. 

Hagrid opened it. 

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off." She heard a second Harry called in front of her, just like the Harry next to her had done a few hours prior.

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered as a reply.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said.

"Let's move along a bit, we need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

_They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch._

_"Now?" Harry whispered._

_"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"_

_"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible._

_At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin._

_"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"_

_Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise._

_"Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"_

_"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"_

_"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"_

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.

"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"

"I'd believe myself, if I'm honest," Mel raised her eyebrows absentmindedly. "I like to think I'd know a way to make me believe–"

"Don't you see?" Hermione asked in exasperation. "Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time... Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!" 

"So what do you suggest?" Mel asked.

Hermione had her attention back towards the castle. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione said.

Mel watched as her past-self left through the pumpkin patch.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay... Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

"You're not alone, Hagrid– We'll come back tomorrow."

"How nice of me," Mel whispered with a grin, then focused on her back while they disappeared under the cloak. "I might need a haircut soon..."

"Shut up!" Hermione hissed.

"Where is the beast?" A man's voice came from the hut.

"Out — outside."

Mel was pulled out of sight by her friends when Mcnair looked out Hagrid's window. 

"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure —" The minister explained.

"Wait here," Harry told them. "I'll do it."

The boy walked over to the creature and tugged at the rope around its neck, but it was no use, Buckbeak wasn't moving.

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly... quietly..." 

"This isn't working," Mel said before standing up walking over.

"Buckbeak, move!" She heard him grunt.

"Hi there, Buckbeak," She bowed shortly, meeting the creature's eyes.

Buckbeak stared at her intently. She lifted a hand and closed it tightly around the rope, a little above Harry's hand.

"Move."

She tugged at it once along with Harry, and they managed to drag him out. They pulled and ran into the forest until they couldn't see Hagrid's garden.

"Stop!" Harry whispered. "They might hear us —" 

The men's voices didn't take long to appear.

"Where is it? Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here! I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," Mel recognized that one as Dumbledore's. He seemed to be enjoying the ordeal.

"Beaky!" said Hagrid.

Mel, anticipating how the creature could react to his call, reached over to the creature's head and stroke it with both hands using enough force so the beak would remain close.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak indeed tried to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip while Mel whispered short commands into Buckbear's ear without letting go of its beak. _'Stay put'_ \- _'Good boy– don't run now, it's alright...'_

"Someone untied him!" the executioner continued. "We should search the grounds, the forest —"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore. "Search the skies, if you will... Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O' — o' course, Professor– Come in, come in..." 

Mel turned to look at her friends and raised her eyebrows. 

"After this, I'll be needing a long nap."

"Now what?" asked Harry.

"We'll have to hide in here, we need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours... Oh, this is going to be difficult..." 

"That's not the mindset we ought to have," Mel replied, loosening her grip on Buckbeak. "Think of it as a test, all right? Timing and memory, that's all we need."

"You're strangely fine with this," Hermione frowned. "Why?"

"I went back in time," Mel laughed. "Half of me feels like the greatest adventure of all time is happening right at this moment– it's exciting."

"And the other half?" Harry grinned.

"Still thinks of this as a hallucination," She smiled.


	22. Another Truth Unveiled.

"We're going to have to move. We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on." Harry commented after a moment.

"Okay, but we've got to keep out of sight, remember..." 

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Mel replied, taking a hold of the rope and pulling. "Let's go Beaky."

They walked for about three minutes until Harry stopped abruptly.

"There's Ron!" He whispered.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —" She heard Ron's voice plead.

Mel watched her own figure sprint across the grounds followed by Harry and Hermione's.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"There's Sirius!" said Harry. "Looks even worse from here, doesn't it? Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you — this is weird —"

"You sound too happy about watching yourself being hit over and over," Mel grinned.

"Well, it's not me who's getting hit, not really," Harry shrugged with a guilty smile.

"You have the bruises though, it sort of is you."

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," Hermione interrupted their chat. 

"And there we go... We're in." Harry pointed.

Merely ten seconds later, Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the Committee member were making their way to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage! If only Dumbledore had come with us..."

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot..."

"They must think we were so foolish," Mel shook her head. "Giving Sirius the opportunity to explain himself, _'childish'_ and all... In my opinion, some adults lack the morals children have to spare."

"You can't deny it was a bit foolish," Hermione retorted. "Lupin disarmed us in no time."

"Mel would've done something anyway," Harry defended. "She always knows what to do, don't you, Mel?"

The girl shrunk in her place, slightly embarrassed.

"I dunno, Glasses..."

Harry opened his mouth to insist, but his eyes moved back to the Whomping Willow and caught sight of someone else.

"Here comes Lupin!– If he'd only grabbed the cloak, it's just lying there..."

His eyes widened and suddenly turned to look at Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"How can you stand this? Just standing here and watching it happen?"

"What difference would make?" Mel frowned. "He got there, heard us talking, yelled a few times, and then we knocked him out. Besides, if I hadn't had him near me when you went after Black... Hold on, what happened when you went looking for Black?"

Harry hesitated. 

"I'm going to grab the cloak," He repeated, standing up.

"Harry, no!" Hermione pulled him back down and at the same time, they watched Hagrid make his way up to the castle, apparently drunk. "See? See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!" 

The Hippogriff tried to move towards the sound of Hagrid's voice, Mel stood up in front of him again and seized him by the neck, forcing him back down. 

"Steady, Beaky," She grunted. "We'll visit him later, all right?"

"How are you not afraid of it?" Hermione shivered. "He almost ripped Malfoy's arm off his body."

"Malfoy had it coming," Mel shrugged. "All I'm doing is keeping a well-mannered attitude. Buckbeak listens because he knows I mean no harm, don't you Beaky?"

She patted the creature's beak. Buckbeak let out a pleased sound and ruffled his feathers. Harry smiled up at her in a way that made her feel taller. Five minutes later Snape made his way up to the Willow, he picked up something from the ground (Harry's cloak) and kept walking.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry growled.

"Shh!"

"Don't worry, Glasses," Mel put a hand on his shoulders. "In about ten minutes your past-self will knock the lights out of him."

"So that's it," said Hermione. "We're all down there... and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again..." 

"That doesn't sound exciting," Mel pouted.

"Harry," Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her place. "There's something I don't understand... Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out... there were so many of them..."

"What?" Mel turned to look at them without understanding. "Which Dementors? You were attacked?" Harry grimaced.

He explained what had happened after they left her and Ron. What he'd seen; how just when a Dementor was about to kiss him (and this Mel didn't find funny at all) two large silver somethings had come across the lake and forced the dementors to retreat. 

"I can't believe it," Mel shook her head, distraught. "And you decided I didn't have to know about this?!"

"There was no time!" Harry said defensively. "We woke up and Dumbledore told us all those things, and then we started– I just didn't see the point of worrying you when it's already over!"

"You could've died!"

"You could've died too! You almost bleed out!"

"But I didn't! I had it covered!"

"You didn't!"

"But what was it?" Hermione cut their argument.

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the dementors go," said Harry, still quite agitated. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it? Didn't you see what they looked like?" asked Hermione. "Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," said Harry. "He wasn't a teacher."

"The only man who could've done it was my uncle, but he was a werewolf then. And Pettigrew ran to the other side... Hagrid had left long ago to the castle..." Mel thought out loud.

"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those dementors away... If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see — ?"

"Yeah, I saw him," said Harry shortly. "But maybe I imagined it... I wasn't thinking straight... I passed out right afterward..."

"Who did you think it was?"

"I think —" Harry gulped. "I think it was my dad."

They remained silent for a moment, processing what Harry had said.

"Harry, your dad's — well — dead," Hermione stated. 

"I know that."

"You think you saw his ghost?"

"I don't know... no... he looked solid..."

"But then —"

"Maybe I was seeing things– But... from what I could see... it looked like him... I've got photos of him..." 

Hermione didn't speak, she was staring at him like he'd grown two heads.

"I know it sounds crazy–" Harry started. 

"I believe you," Mel replied. 

The boy looked up from Buckbeak's paws and stared at her.

"You do?"

"Yeah," She shrugged. "I've seen crazier things happen, I think that your father coming back from the dead in order to protect you isn't nearly as mental now that I've traveled in time. It sort of sounds doable."

Harry's gaze landed on a distant corner, she could practically see the gears in his brain struggling to find an explanation. He was trying to find a logical explanation, but logic didn't work when it came to things like magic. She'd learned that a while ago. 

"Whoever that was," Mel nudged his arm gently. "They're my new hero. If it wasn't because of that Patronus, I would've lost my best friend."

Harry gave her a small smile, though he still looked far away in his own thoughts.

After five minutes, a realization hit her.

Harry had almost died, _again_. Far from feeling relieved that it was just a close call, she felt uneasy. What if she'd died, and Harry had found out of all the things she'd been hiding from him? Erick being the biggest one. Then her feelings... She didn't like lies and yet she kept finding excuses to keep things from someone who meant a lot for her.

"Harry?"

He hummed, looking back at her. 

"I have to tell you something," He leaned back, a curious expression in his face. "But please, don't get angry."

Hermione's head turned to her and stared with wide eyes. Almost as if she'd read her mind, she got up and walked away mumbling something about a better view.

"What is it?" He frowned.

"You're my best friend," She started, already regretting her decision. "And you're... I–I would do anything for you, really. You know this, I'm always here to help..."

Harry's confusion increased, he tilted his head, not understanding.

"What I mean is that I'd never do anything to upset you, not consciously at least– and you know I like helping people, and some may say that's a problem–"

"Mel, I don't understand..."

"I'm friends with a Slytherin," She said, almost forcing out all the words at once. "His name's Erick and we've known each other since first year and I've been studying with him in the library because he asked me for help –He wants to know about the muggles and since I've been living as a muggle for the most part of my life he thought I could help..."

Harry blinked a few times, moving away from her.

"You... what?" He shook his head. "Since our first year?"

"I know I should've told you–"

"Is this why you're always saying not all Slytherins are bad–?"

"–But he made me promise I wouldn't say–"

"–You said it was a Ravenclaw–"

"–He's helped me as well, he got me Pansy's hair last year and told me their common room's password–"

"–You've been telling a Slytherin our plans?"

"He's not bad! He was the one who warned me about the team trying to hurt you during the Quidditch match– His brother's the captain!"

"Marcus Flint?" Harry's eyes widened. "You're friends with Flint?"

"Marcus is hideous!" Mel exclaimed. "His brother's not though, I swear– and while you weren't speaking to Hermione we all studied together–"

"Hermione _KNEW?"_ Harry looked back at the girl, but Hermione pretended not to listen.

"Ron and Hermione knew," Mel continued. "But they've known for a few months only– I made them promise they wouldn't tell you. Erick doesn't want anyone to know and if I'm honest I don't want that either."

Harry stood up, distressed.

"So... so you've been friends with him for almost three years... and you didn't tell me-"

"Because I know you have a bad impression thanks to Malfoy," Mel explained. "But he's not bad, please..."

"That's what he makes you think," He frowned. "Maybe he's just good at pretending."

"What would be the point?" Mel tried to remain calm, even if she'd heard the same thing already. "Be my friend for what? What could he possibly get?"

"I don't know!" Harry ran a hand through his hair. "All this time you've been talking with a Slytherin? About what we do?"

"He helped!" She exclaimed. "He's older, he's studied more!"

"I could've studied with you! I could've helped as well!"

"You barely have time to study your own things, Glasses," Mel replied tiredly. "I'm not upset about you not being able to help me. Erick is my friend and I like him, but you're my best friend, I don't want to keep things from you, especially the ones that could help you see..."

"See what?"

"That no opinion is final," She took a deep breath. "That a house doesn't equal personality. He's just as good as you and me, just has different interests, that's all."

She stepped forward, Harry stepped back.

"It took you three years to tell me this," Harry replied. "If you really thought it wasn't bad, then why didn't you tell me right away?"

"I don't know, many things happened then– Quirrel, the stone..." She wanted to add _'my growing romantical feelings'_ but decided to save _that_ talk for another day. "Suddenly it felt like it was too late, and then it just felt impossible."

The boy wasn't angry– not quite, he looked more like he had a lot of things to process.

"Please don't hate me," She said softly. "I was afraid you'd hate me if I told you I was friends with a boy that represented all the negative things you've gone through at school."

"Why were you so sure I would judge?" He had a pained expression. "Did you really think I wouldn't listen? You are my best friend too, maybe if I had met him right away he wouldn't mean negatives things for me, but you decided to make it complicated."

She didn't know how to respond to that. He turned and walked away. He didn't look back. Mel pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned in anger. 

"I ruined it."

* * *

"Here we come!" Hermione told them.

Mel stood up and walked over to them, standing next to Hermione and squinting.

"Harry," Hermione said suddenly, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do..."

She saw Harry's expression, his shoulders fell.

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again..."

"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark? There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

"All right!"

"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming —" 

"My uncle had a rough night today, didn't he..."

"Wait!" Harry gripped their shoulders. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't, I keep telling you —"

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"

Mel looked at both kids before sprinting towards Buckbeak.

"Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors will be coming any moment —" 

Mel untied the rope and snapped her fingers to catch the creature's attention.

"Let's go boy, c'mon!"

"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry told her. "It's empty now — come on!"

They ran to the cabin, closing the door behind them and guiding Buckbeak to the furthest corner. 

"Shh, Fang, it's us!" Hermione whispered at the big old dog so he'd stop barking. "That was really close!" 

"Yeah..." 

Mel looked over her shoulder and saw Harry quickly turn away, he'd been staring seconds before, but didn't say anything.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry, looking out the window. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"

Hermione eyed him up.

"I'm not going to try and interfere, but if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well... okay, then... We'll wait here with Buckbeak... but Harry, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the dementors —"

"I'll go with you," Mel walked past him and directly to the door.

"But–"

"Listen you can hate me all you want, but you already survived once, I won't risk it again," Mel glanced at him. "Two is better than one, and we know I'm faster than you."

He pondered for a second before nodding shortly, walking out of the cabin next to her. They walked in silence, then Harry came into a halt. The dementors were coming out of the darkness and they were all going to the lake. The boy didn't look at her when he spoke.

"I have to know."

Harry ran. Mel yelled his name and ran after him. What was he planning to do? Thousands of dementors were there in the lake, it was too dangerous. He finally stopped right across the place where Sirius, him, and Hermione were laying.

"Come on!" She heard him muttered. "Where are you? Dad, come on —"

Then she understood, he wanted to see it for himself, confirm whether if his dad had been there or if it all had been a hallucination. She looked around, expecting to see a figure approaching. Judging by their position, this was the place where Harry had seen the figure appeared...

She knew right away– Mel pulled out her wand and said, in a voice that sounded unlike her.

"It's us."

Harry stood up, understanding at the same time as her. They didn't need to say anything, they pointed upwards into the pack of dementors and shouting:

_"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

Their wands made a soft explosion sound, and out of them came two creatures, at first too bright to make sense of, but as they went further away, she recognized them. 

A stag galloped around the lake and made its way back while a bird –a very big, long-tailed one– flew across the surface, forcing the dementors to retreat higher.

"Prongs," Harry whispered in amazement.

She was staring at the large figure skillfully flying around the night sky. She recognized the long tail and the shape of its head easily, she'd seen those in Fawkes thousands of times before. 

"What did you do?" Hermione yelled at them, making her jump. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout! Mel, I thought you'd know better!"

The bright figures vanished, both kids turning to see the girl.

"We just saved all our lives..." Harry commented casually. "Get behind here — behind this bush — I'll explain."

Hermione listened to their story quietly, mouth agape.

"Did anyone see you?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw us but I thought it was my dad! It's okay!"

"Harry, I can't believe it... You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors! That's very, very advanced magic..." She looked at Mel, who was frowning. "Well I'm not surprised you did it, you've been doing advanced magic for ages now."

"I knew I could do it this time," Harry continued excitedly, "because I'd already done it... Does that make sense?"

"Confidence is key," Mel smiled softly.

Harry stared at her strangely again, she was getting used to these kinds of moments with him, where she didn't know what he was thinking. Hermione's words came to her, _'If you'd only see the way he looks at you, you'd know...'_

Was this look the one Hermione meant? Because she was seeing it, and she'd never felt as confused as now.

"Look at Snape!" 

The man had two stretchers floating at his side, Mel and Ron were in them. Then, he put Harry and Hermione in another two and gagged and tied up Black with a flick of his wand.

"Look at him, acting like he's everyone's savior," Mel scoffed. "If it wasn't for me he'd still be taking a nap while we're all dying."

"You wouldn't have been in danger if you'd have kept the piece of metal in place," Harry pointed out.

"Let's not focus on the little things..."

"It's nearly time," Hermione gave them a severe look. "If you two can stop bickering, we've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing..."

And so they waited for what it felt like the longest time.

"D' you reckon he's up there yet?" Harry sighed.

"Look!" Hermione suddenly tensed. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the dementors! This is it —"

Mel rushed past them so fast they didn't get the chance to offer her help. She jumped swiftly and pushed herself up on Buckbeak's back. Hermione then inched closer and Harry helped her up, she sat behind her. Then Harry took impulse on one of the bush's branches and climb in front of her.

"Hey, I wanted to drive!" Mel huffed.

"Too bad," He said simply. "You'd better hold on to me —"

"I– What?" She asked coily.

Harry nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels without replying. Mel let out a short, panicky squeal before wrapping her arms around his waist, feeling Hermione's arms wrapping around her, she also felt Harry's chest shaking lightly, and she wondered if he was laughing.

"Oh, no — I don't like this — oh, I really don't like this —" Hermione whimpered in her ear.

Buckbeak moved up and down, she felt like she was almost suffocating Harry, but since he wasn't complaining, she kept her arms tightly enclosed around him until they were right next to the castle.

"Whoa!" Harry pulled the rope backward as hard as he could. "He's there!" 

Mel reached out for the window and tapped on it. Black looked up, he jumped out of his chair, tried to open the window, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione gripped Mel's robes tightly with one hand and pointed her wand at the crystal with the other.

_"Alohomora!"_ A small click, and the window was open.

"How — how — ?" Black was beyond impressed. 

"Get on — there's not much time," Harry urged him. "You've got to get out of here — the dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."

In a matter of seconds, there were four people mounting Buckbeak, and she hoped it wasn't too hard on the creature.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up! Up to the tower — come on!" Harry pulled the rope again.

Soon enough they were up in the West Tower, Buckbeak landed swiftly and Harry and Hermione jumped out first, Mel reluctantly left her place since her thigh was starting to hurt again, probably irritated because of all the movement.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick– They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick — go —"

"How can I ever thank —"

"GO!" The kids shouted.

Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," He said. "You are — truly your father's son too, Harry..."

He kicked lightly Buckbeak's sides and then flew up... higher than ever– until there was no sight of him in the sky.

"Time's no longer on our side," Mel said, making her way to the staircase. "We've got around ten minutes before they ran back into the Hospital wing– Let's go."


	23. Goodbye, Professor Lupin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mel started to slowly drift back to sleep, after all, she'd had a hard day twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last and then we'll start book four! Can't wait for you guys to read that one, is being one of my favorites so far :') -Danny

They'd been making their way towards the Hospital wing when voices stopped them.

"...only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties– The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last... I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape... and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him..."

Harry and Mel shared a furious glare, sure enough, Snape was elated with all the compliments.

"I'm sorry Minister, but you'll be waiting for that moment the rest of your life. Let's keep going."

They continued their escape until Harry seized her wrist again and pulled her back.

"Peeves!– In here!"

He pushed both girls into a classroom to their left. Peeves bounced away, laughing loudly, almost maniacally.

"Oh, he's horrible– I bet he's all excited because the dementors are going to finish off Sirius... Three minutes!" They hurried out of the room.

"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside — before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.

"I don't want to think about it!" She looked down at her watch. "One minute!"

"That isn't helping!" Mel groaned.

They reached the corridor where the hospital wing was.

"Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione. "Come on!" 

"I am going to lock you in," Dumbledore was saying when they approached. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

They ran forward while Dumbledore stepped out of the room. He looked up and smiled. 

"Well?" 

"We did it!" said Harry. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak..."

Dumbledore beamed.

"Well done. I think —" He leaned his head towards the door and listened. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"

Harry, Mel, and Hermione slipped back in. Ron was still lying unconscious in his bed. They returned to their own beds, Hermione hiding the Time-Turner back under her robes.

"I'm about to have the longest nap of my life," Mel sighed, the adrenaline that had kept her active quickly wearing off, heart thumping harshly against her chest because of all the effort.

Madam Pomfrey came back out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" 

"Madam Pomfrey, I think my bandages moved while I was sleeping, could you pleased take a look?" She asked in the most innocent voice she could do.

After Pomfrey had changed her bandages _'You must toss a lot while you sleep, your bandages were all over the place!'_ they sat in silence. Harry and Hermione eating their chocolate while Mel started to slowly drift back to sleep, after all, she'd had a hard day _twice_.

A loud, furious roar made her come back to her senses, knowing what was about to happen.

"What was that?" Madam Pomfrey inquired alarmed. "Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

"He must have Disapparated, Severus." A voice echoed through the hall. "We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —" 

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape yelled. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER — AND — DUMBLEDORE!"

"Severus — be reasonable — Harry and Mel'd been locked up —" The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came in.

Dumbledore was calmed, even amused. Fudge, on the other hand, was angry. Snape was fuming. This caused her to smile, though it was slowly turning into a mocking smirk.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked politely.

"OUT WITH IT!" Snape spat. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape! Control yourself!" Pomfrey demanded.

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —" 

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" 

"Calm down, man! You're talking nonsense!" 

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT — AND THE GIRL HAS NO RESTRAINT, NO RESPECT FOR MORALS–"

Mel hid her smile, trying to look as confused and innocent as possible.

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not! I would have heard them!"

"My leg's injured," Mel shook her head, her frown deepening. "I can't even walk!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry, Mel, and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape looked like he could set himself on fire. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one! The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well... I'd better go and notify the Ministry..."

"And the dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?" 

"Oh yes, they'll have to go– Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy... Completely out of control... no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight... Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance..."

"Hagrid would like that," Dumbledore smiled at the kids. 

_As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office._

_There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around._

_"What — what happened?" He groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"_

Harry, Mel, and Hermione looked at each other.

"You explain," said Harry, leaning back on his bed and eating more chocolate.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I can't believe it."

"Oh, please don't. Actually, it's better if you don't," Mel smirked.

She and Erick had been wasting around the afternoon in the courtyard, the rest of the school was on their last Hogsmeade visit. Erick told his friends he was staying to pack and put some things in order, but he was having one last reunion with Mel before summer.

"Right, it makes sense, what happened this morning during breakfast..." He said, hesitantly. Before Mel could ask, he continued. "About Harry..."

"I know, I broke my promise," She sighed. "You know I don't like lying, especially to him–"

"It was expected, if I'm honest," He shrugged. "I understand, just don't tell anyone else until I agree to do it, you think you can?"

"Sure," Mel smiled. "But Harry is quite upset. He has the right to be, I suppose– I don't know what to do..."

"You don't?" Erick raised a brow. "It's not that terrible– I mean, who cares if you've got a friend that he doesn't know about? Do you really think he's angry because I'm a Slytherin?"

"What other reason could there be?"

"He's _jealous_."

"Oh, come on," Mel laughed. "Jealous? He doesn't even know you!"

"Doesn't need to," Erick insisted. "All he knows is that you've been sneaking around with a boy– an _older_ boy, mind you– and that you've been talking about private things with me, for all he knows, I could be attempting to woo you and you have no idea!"

"Are you?" Mel smiled. "Cause if you are, you're not doing a good job– listening to my rambles all day about how cool I think Harry is..."

"I'd say I'm the worst, considering I spend half of our time talking about Anne as well," He grinned, matching her expression. "You'd know if I were flirting, so tell your boyfriend not to worry. By the way... do you have any books I could borrow that aren't fairytales?"

"Like what?"

"Dunno, anything else."

Mel thought about it for a second.

"I have a few ghost stories... I think Mum has some old romantic novels– Pride and Prejudice, Emma... Oh! I have a few Sherlock Holmes stories!"

"I have no idea of what you're talking about," Erick said brightly. "But sure, send them to me."

"You're in a great mood," Mel commented. "Anything you'd like to share?"

"The year ended," He replied. "My brother's last year! I'm free from my family's ever present gaze, Mel. I might even be a Prefect next year! I can do anything I please now..."

"Anything except hanging out with people you actually like," She raised her eyebrows. "I wish we were older, that way we could do anything and no one would stop us."

" _You_ can do anything," He pointed. "You're just afraid it won't end well."

"What do you mean?" 

"You're spending the afternoon with me when you could be looking for your dearest Harry to tell him how you feel, see if he feels the same way –I insist, he does– I'm sure he's nowhere near as angry as you think he is."

"He refuses to speak to me."

"Have you tried to talk at all?"

"On a normal day, I don't even have to try! The conversation just flows..."

"Mel," Erick interrupted sternly. "Talk to him."

She groaned, leaning her head back on the wall. 

"Who taught you to be such a good friend?"

"People say my Grandad's a good bloke," He teased. "He's taught me all I know. You've been a great help too, I guess."

"He's the one who doesn't hate muggles, right?" She tilted her head.

"Right," He sighed blissfully. "Once I'm older I'll move out to his house and work a few years to have enough money to fend for myself, then I'll ask Anne to be with me..."

"You're such a romantic," Mel giggled. "I'll send you all of my mother's novels first, I have the feeling they'll be your favorite."

"Shut up," The boy chuckled, throwing dry leaves at her.

* * *

Erick did have to pack and put his things in order before his friends returned from Hogsmeade, so she made her way down to the lake to find her friends.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were talking lazily about nothing and everything when she arrived. Harry had his eyes fixed on the opposite corner, where the patronuses had shown up the previous night, he didn't hear her coming.

"Is it me or the weather's extremely hot today?" She asked, sitting beside Ron.

"Kind of," Ron replied.

Harry's eyes landed on her for only a second, he nodded as a greeting and went back to stare off into the distance.

"How's Erick?" He asked.

She was taken by surprise, but tried to answer as casual as possible.

"Happy. His brother will be graduating this year, so he'll have more freedom on the years to come."

"More freedom?" Ron huffed. "I've seen him around, he's got his own flock of Slytherins following him just like Crabbe and Goyle do with Malfoy."

"He didn't ask for them to follow," She replied. "And yes, _more_ freedom– His parents watch his every move outside school, they won't let him leave the house because he lives near muggles and they don't like that. Here his brother takes any mistake he does as an opportunity to write home and gain validation through him. It's awful, he doesn't have a chance to breathe."

"Well, he seemed to breathe just fine when he talked to you in Hogsmeade..."

"You mean right before you practically tried to kick him out of the store?" Mel snapped.

"Can we not fight about this?" Hermione groaned. "Mel can have all the friends she pleases and you know you can't stop her. I've talked to him a few times all right? And–" She raised a hand to ask Ron to stay quiet while she continued, "He means no harm. He's trying to understand muggles and their ways– which is far more than you've tried to do since we met, Ron," Hermione pointed out.

Ron's ears reddened.

"He's trying to be better," Mel added.

"He's trying to date Anne, you mean," Hermione smiled.

Mel's eyes widened at her comment.

"How'd you..?"

"Oh," Hermione laughed. "Didn't tell you? I asked– He _really_ likes her."

"Who's Anne?" Ron frowned. 

"A muggle," Mel said, still quite impressed at Erick's bravery to go ahead and tell Hermione about her. "She's the reason why he asked for my help in the first place... he's been trying to... to build a relationship with her. He does seem, uhm– quite in love..."

She didn't know why she'd grown flustered while telling them about Erick's love life. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Harry was no longer trying to avoid her eyes. He had a stunned expression and was about to speak when Hagrid appeared right in front of them.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," He started. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an' everythin' — but guess what?"

"What?"

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, and glared at Ron, who seemed to be fighting back a laugh.

"Yeah... can't've tied him up properly– I was worried this mornin', mind... thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night..."

"What?" asked Harry.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard? Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'... Thought everyone'd know by now... Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night... He's packin' now, o' course." 

"What a bastard!" Mel stood up abruptly. 

"He's packing?" Harry stood up as well. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he? Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin' again."

"No!"

"I'm going to see him," Harry sentenced. 

"But if he's resigned —" 

"— doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"

"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here."

Mel didn't even have to say she was coming as well. They walk side by side in silence until they reach her uncle's office.

"I saw you coming," Lupin smiled. He had the Marauder's Map open. 

"We just saw Hagrid and he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. 

"Snape can't win like this!" Mel exclaimed. "It was cruel! It was–"

"Why?" Harry insisted. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed, closing the door behind them. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

_"Accidentally,"_ Mel growled. "He's such a child!"

"You're not leaving just because of that!" 

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents... They will not want a werewolf teaching their children. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you... That must never happen again."

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry. "Don't go!"

Lupin shook his head. He gathered more things in silence– Mel knew him enough to know this was his way to hide how truly upset he was feeling.

"From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned... Tell me about your Patronuses."

"How d'you know about that?"

"What else could have driven the dementors back?"

So Harry and Mel told him everything. Lupin was smiling when they ended the story.

"Yes, your fathers were always a stag and a phoenix when they transformed. You guessed right... that's why we called them Prongs and Ruddy." 

"Professor..." Mel shook her head. "Uncle Lu–"

"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he handed back the Invisibility Cloak. "And..."

He pondered, then held out the Marauder's Map too. 

"I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

Harry took the map and grinned.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Ruddy, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school... you said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," said Lupin. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle. And Emily might deny this, but I think she takes pride in the harmless mischief you cause around the castle, Mel. You didn't hear this from me, but she was the real danger of our group."

Mel laughed. There was a knock on the door. Harry hid the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak. Professor Dumbledore walked in.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you, Headmaster." He picked up his suitcase and the empty grindylow tank. "Well — goodbye, Harry," he said. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. As for you, Mel, I expect to see you at some point during this summer?" She nodded. "Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage..."

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore. Lupin shook hands with him, then, with a final nod to Harry and a small smile, Lupin left the office. 

Mel waited three, five seconds, before making up her mind. 

"I'm not ready." And without adding a word, she left Harry and Dumbledore in the office and ran out after her uncle.

"Uncle Lu!" She yelled, finding him mid-way in the hall. "Uncle Lupin!"

The man stopped and turned around. Mel didn't stop, she threw her arms around his waist, and before she could stop herself, she was crying. 

"I'm sorry! I should've been smarter! I should've believed you! There's no way you would betray my dad or my mum's trust... I was stupid and it's my fault you got fired!"

"What are you saying, Mel?" He asked gently. "I resigned. This is not your fault in any way."

"I've been so ungrateful with everyone– I keep ignoring the rules as I please and then people I love suffers the consequences. Harry's right, you were the best teacher we could've asked for, I ruined it– if I just had been a little more careful..."

"Mel," He said sternly. "Look at me."

She obeyed, cleaning her tear-stained face in silence.

"Do I look angry?" She shook her head. "Do I look any sort of disappointed in my goddaughter's actions?"

"No," She said weakly. 

"I'm truly proud of what you've accomplished. Matt would've been thrilled to find out your Patronus is a phoenix, he would've been delighted to hear you helped one of his best friends escape from a terrible destiny and found the kindness to forgive the other." 

Lupin kneeled -with difficulty since he was still holding the Grindilow's tank.

"You're extraordinary. I know you'll grow up to be exactly what your father always dreamed you'd be. And I'll be there, watching you rise above all of us just like a Phoenix would do. Too bright to look at and too powerful to understand."

Mel had never heard him speak like that, with such passion and certainty. He stood up again, kissing the top of her head in the process, but only briefly.

"Don't forget to write," He added. "I'm afraid I've grown used to have you around every day, and I believe I'll miss you terribly if I don't hear from you for long periods of time."

"I will," Mel was crying still, but now her tears were more on the happy side.

Lupin nodded one last time before leaving the hall.

"You know," Dumbledore's voice took her by surprise. "Our family's been lonesome for years. My brother and I never had many friends... Matt made sure to open his heart to the world, which to me is the greatest accomplishment any Dumbledore has made in decades. My father would've been proud."

"Sir?"

"You are wholly loved, Mel. It gives you the power to love back twice as much, don't give that up for anyone, or anything."

"Sir," Mel repeated. "I guess you know about my father's doing during school."

"I do."

"I was wondering..." She thought her words carefully. "You think I'm doing a good job with my lessons?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.

"I think you're doing a remarkable work, Mel."

"Then... I was wondering... You think... You think you could teach me to become an animagus?"

She saw a glimpse of his smile.

"Is that what you want?"

"I agreed to have the lessons because I wanted to protect my friends, but now it's not only that– I want to learn it all, be capable of doing and handling my own magic as I please..."

Dumbledore's expression fell.

"Ah, the constant seek for power and knowledge... " He sighed. "Be careful with what you wish for, Mel. Wiser wizards have met their ends looking for perfection, I'm afraid it's not as pretty as it sounds."

"I understand," Mel replied calmly. "I'm not asking to rule the world, though. I don't want that. I'm asking for choices. How could I have those if I don't know all there is out there for me to take? I don't want to _not_ know."

"No one does," Dumbledore nodded. "Yet, not everyone goes out of their way to get the information."

"That means..?" She asked hopefully.

"I'll give you the books you'll need in order to start the lessons," He said. "You'll be reading twice the amount you read last summer, I hope you're okay with that."

"I am."

"Becoming an Animagus is not easy work, and it could have setbacks and accidents along the way–"

"I'm ready."

"You don't have a say on which animal you'll turn into."

"I don't mind," She shook her head. "I do have one small petition, Sir."

"Which is?"

"If I manage to succeed... is it alright if I don't let the Ministry know?"

Dumbledore looked at her intently.

"Any reason in particular?"

"I don't like them."

The old man laughed.

"I'm afraid that reason, though quite clear, isn't enough," She nodded, having been expecting that reply. However, Dumbledore leaned and added in a whisper, "But we'll see."


	24. Good Omens.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Then Harry told her everything. Including the prophecy Trelawney had told him on their last day of exams. She had to admit, it sounded terrifying, but their teacher was known to be a bit dramatic. Still, the part about the dark lord rising... she didn't like that bit at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter!! We're starting book four this Tuesday! I hope you're ready uwu -Danny

Dumbledore left when Harry walked out of Lupin's former office, he stopped when he noticed Mel was outside.

"Oh," He said, "I thought you'd be with Ron and Hermione."

"I was talking to Dumbledore," She replied simply. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," He moved to where she was standing. "I talked to him too, when you left the office..."

"You did?"

"I was... I told him that I felt like our mission hadn't made a difference," He explained. "He told me I was wrong... sort of."

"Sort of?" She smiled.

Then Harry told her everything. Including the prophecy Trelawney had told him on their last day of exams. She had to admit, it sounded terrifying, but their teacher was known to be a bit dramatic. Still, the part about the dark lord rising... she didn't like that bit at all.

"What he said about the people that loves us never leaving..." Harry frowned, trying to put his thoughts in order. "They help us when we're in trouble, one way or another... I'm lucky to have you, Ron, and Hermione. Emily, and Sirius... they care and they'd help me if I needed them to... Not everyone is that lucky, though."

"I suppose so," Mel tilted her head, patiently waiting for the rest of whatever he was trying to say.

"Erick," It was the second time he'd mentioned the boy's name and it still sounded completely strange coming out of his mouth. "What you said about his family... he doesn't have many people helping him. I guess... I understand why'd he go out of his way to talk to you... You're brilliant and all..."

"Thanks?"

"What I mean," Harry pressed on, having a hard time expressing himself. "What I want to say is, I think you're a good friend and you're right– I shouldn't judge people without knowing their story first, that's what made me think Sirius was trying to kill me... I'm sorry I reacted that way, my interactions with the Slytherins haven't been nice, but I get that not everyone has to be the same. I trust you–"

Harry's speech was interrupted when Mel threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly (no kisses this time, though- She wasn't going to do the same mistake twice) and apologized profusely.

"I know... Mellow, I can't breathe!" He complained. 

"Sorry!" She stepped back. "Sorry..."

"So... I'm your hero now, right?"

"What?" She frowned. 

"You said that whoever made the dementors disappear the other night was your new hero, turns out it was me," He smirked.

"I was also there!" She exclaimed. "That was my Patronus too!"

"Well, you can't be your hero!"

"Says who?"

"It doesn't make sense!"

"I say it does. I'm my own hero," She teased. "For all I know, I saved your life this time."

"I've saved your life before," He pouted.

"Now you're just being pretentious..." 

* * *

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies," Hermione commented once they were settled on the train's compartment.

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" 

"I know, but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again. Besides, I asked Erick and he told me he'd be happy to tell me all about what he studies in class."

"I still can't believe you're friends with him," Ron rolled his eyes. "And I still can't believe you didn't tell us about the time-turner. We're supposed to be your friends."

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," said Hermione. "And you know how important it is to keep secrets when you're not the only one involved..."

She looked at Mel, who was looking at Harry, who was looking out the window with a sad expression.

"Oh, cheer up!" said Hermione.

"I'm okay," Harry jumped lightly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too– Mel, Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a _fellytone_ now —"

"A telephone, Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year..."

"Or ask us more about muggle life, like _Erick_ does," Mel teased.

Ron ignored them.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

Harry did cheer up at that.

"Yeah, I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come... especially after what I did to Aunt Marge..." 

"I'd love to see the World Cup!" Mel said excitedly. "I can picture it already, all the wizards from around the world..."

They wasted a whole hour playing and talking when Hermione pointed out to the landscape.

"Harry– What's that thing outside your window?"

It was the smallest owl Mel had ever seen. It dropped a letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming excitedly around the place. Hedwig clicked her beak while Grey and Crookshanks sat up, following the owl with their eyes. Ron caught the owl safely and threw a disapproving look their way.

"It's from Sirius!" Harry said happily.

"What? Read it aloud!"

_'Dear Harry,  
I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle._

_I don't know whether they're used to owl post.  
Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job._

_I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted._

_There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —_

"Ha! See! I told you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?– Ouch!" 

_'Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather._

_I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you and Mel that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you._ _I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._ _If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me._

_I'll write again soon. Sirius_

_P.S. Mel, if Remus tells your mother what happened during the school year, will you please send her my regards? I miss her, I'm hoping I'll find a way to communicate with her soon.'_

"I absolutely will," Mel smiled widely. "What else did he send, Glasses?"

Harry looked inside the envelope. She saw his eyes grow in surprise and then he was grinning, handing the small piece of parchment to her.

_**'I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.'** _

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry. "Hang on, there's a second P.S."

_'I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.'_

Ron's eyes widened. 

"Keep him?" he repeated. 

He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What do'you reckon?" Ron asked. "Definitely an owl?" 

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron. "He's mine." 

* * *

"You know," Mel said to the boy once they arrived at the station. "I'm really sorry you can't live with Sirius, but there's a good side!"

"Which is?"

"I'll still be your neighbor!"

"I thought you'd be happy," He teased. "Finally getting rid of me, a well-deserved break."

"I was happy because Sirius cares about you and you would've had a good life... besides, I get to see you in school, which is almost the whole year."

"Well," Harry put an arm around her shoulders. "We'll still have to stand each other for the years to come."

"I think I can live with that," She chuckled.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after they parted.

Mel saw her mother standing a few feet away from the Dursleys and ran to meet her.

"Hello!" She said cheerfully. "Do you think we can stop by that place we like to get lunch? I'm– You know everything, don't you?"

Emily was looking down at her with such a severity that Mel prepared herself for the impact.

"Time-turners, dementors _and_ sneaking out of the castle after curfew," Emily whispered angrily. "Helping a _convict_ escape, attacking a Professor–"

"Snape had it coming!"

"Are you trying to drive me insane?" Emily hissed. "I swear, every time I get a letter I feel like I'm about to hear you murdered a teacher!"

"You're exagerating–"

"Watch me overreact all the way to our house, young lady!" She retorted. 

"Very well," Mel sighed. "Can I tell you two things first?"

"What things?"

"I spent a whole year having a normal period -dreadful and gross, not reccomended– but that means I can take the potion now! Second, _Padfoot_ says hi."

Emily's mouth opened and closed, her eyes never leaving her daughter's face.

"How do you–"

"Didn't they tell you the whole story?" Mel asked. "I'll have to do it myself, then..."

_"What's that?"_ They heard Mr. Dursley spat at Harry while they walked past. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"

"It's not," Harry smiled brightly. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather? You haven't got a godfather!" 

"Yes, I have– He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though. Keep up with my news... check if I'm happy..."

Mel and Emily shared a look and left quickly, holding back their laughter until they were safe inside their car. There, both of them laughed until their stomachs hurt.

"You know," Her mother said breathlessly. " _Prongs_ would've been so proud of his son..."

"I know," Mel smiled, looking out her window and watching Harry's gleeful face as he walked out of the station with a terrified uncle following close. "We all are..."


End file.
